It is 11 a.m. and the sun beams brightly over the trees encircling Aldrich Park. Light casts spotted shadows across the Gateway Study Center where the Student Outreach and Retention Center (SOAR Center) is located. Some students walk along the sidewalks outside of the center while others partake in another Cup of SOAR event that fuels them on their way to class.
Established for over 10 years, SOAR has invested in marginalized communities at UCI through various student-initiated outreach and retention programs. Outreach centers within the UC system initially arose in response to the UC Regents’ elimination of affirmative action on July 20, 1995. SOAR officially opened its doors in the fall of 2011 and launched the SOAR Up campaign to secure funding and establish its food pantry.
“In the early 2010s, between 2010 and 2014, [SOAR] came out of student activism,” JJ Jimenez, SOAR’s current program specialist, told New University. “[SOAR] was doing signature programs that wanted to offer students small to-go snacks … to help combat food insecurity.”
The SOAR Center offers free breakfast and snack items from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m every Monday and Thursday. Their setup is stationed outside of SOAR, which is located on the bottom floor of the Gateway Study Center.
Students can register for the breakfast through UCI Campus Groups with their UCInetID. From there, they can find all Cup of SOAR events and sign in to take some food.
SOAR also provides mentorship to students navigating college life. Kelly Amador is a second-year education and sociology student in her first year as SOAR’s new Pathfinder Peer Educator. Amador mentors a caseload of 15 mentees, helping guide them through their first year at UC Irvine.
“One of our things is focusing on not only outreach but retention, and making sure that students feel comfortable with events like Cup of SOAR,” Amador told New University.
Jimenez and Amador hosted this year’s fifth Cup of SOAR on Oct. 10, giving out Ritz Crackers, Uncrustables, Capri Sun, Arizona Green Tea, breakfast sandwiches and more. They also set out Cup Noodles for the lunch rush.
During the event, second-year psychology student Ashlee Randall passed through looking for a pen. She was familiar with SOAR because she had directed new students to the center as a 2024 Student Parent Orientation Program staffer.
“I think it’s cool and very convenient,” Randall told New University. “You have to encourage people to use their resources.”
According to SOAR’s affiliate co-chair and fourth-year political sciences student Andrew Nguyen, the program had about 50% more attendees than projected this year.
“It’s one of our original legacy programs,” Nguyen told New University. “It’s a really great resource to have. I mean, if you’re on campus, just come by and grab a snack.”
Cup of SOAR also supports students seeking a safe space between classes. The SOAR Center offers study areas and free resources such as printing services, scantrons, bluebooks and other school essentials. Students in the Multi-Purpose Room (MPR) can work at the computers provided after grabbing breakfast from the breakfast table.
“[The students] come in and they get to sit at our MPR and just unwind and de-stress before their next class,” Amador said.
Nguyen mentioned that more students will bring in more resources for future students. He stated that the team’s “whole goal” is to “show the university that these are the things [they] need.” For instance, SOAR’s Gateway Scholars initiative expanded its Chromebook Loan Program this year to provide more computers for students.
“You’ll never find a more dedicated team,” Nguyen said. “We’re all kind of unified in that approach of helping others.”
With the rise of attendance in Cup of SOAR, Nguyen embraced the influx of students.
“We always welcome students, and hopefully more students come in and visit our center,” Nguyen said. “Our job is to help you succeed in college.”
On the other hand, Jimenez worries about why more students need food assistance. They are concerned that they “see the issues of financial aid” contributing to the recent food insecurity surge. According to Jimenez, many students who rely on SOAR tend to be first-generation, low-income or a part of underrepresented communities.
“We don’t want students to go to class hungry,” Amador said. “It’s been … helping them be full and have something in their systems.”
Alyssa Villagonzalo is a Features Intern for the fall 2024 quarter. She can be reached at akvillag@uci.edu.
Edited by Sofia Feeney and Kaelyn Kwon.