UCIRA Legacy Scholarship Recipients

As a way to support our undergraduate students, the UCI Retirees Association established a Legacy Scholarship program in 2019. These scholarships are for students who have a family member with one of these connections to UCI:  UCI retiree, UCI alumni, or current UCI staff member.

We hope to increase the number of scholarships that we award and invite you to contribute to this effort. Please click on this link to donate to this worthwhile scholarship.

2020 Scholarship Recipients

Vivian Liu

Vivian Liu

2020 Freshman Student Recipient

Vivian Liu is a freshman from El Monte, CA, majoring in Biological Sciences. Her brother is a UCI alumnus. Her career goal is to become a Physician Assistant. Her hobbies are photography and calligraphy. She plans to use the scholarship money to help with books and fees.
Melissa Montoya

Melissa Montoya

2020 Transfer Student Recipient

Melissa Montoya is a transfer student from Paramount, CA, majoring in Criminology, Law and Society.  She's looking forward to attending UCI and continuing her journey to find her passion and channel that into a career. Her brother is a UCI alumnus. Receiving the scholarship will allow her to focus more on her studies.

2019 Scholarship Recipients

Amalia Cardenas

2019 Freshman Student Recipient

Amalia Cardenas is a freshman from Santa Ana, CA majoring in biological sciences . She hopes to give back to the world tenfold by helping those in need, perhaps as an orthopedic surgeon. She will use the money to help pay for classes, textbooks, and bus transportation. Amalia’s  father is a staff member in UCI Housing Services.

Sara-Ann Zheng

2019 Freshman Student Recipient

Sara-Ann Zheng is also a freshman biological sciences major. She is from San Bernardino, CA. Her brother is an alumnus and current staff member in the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.  Receiving this scholarship will allow her to focus on her studies. After graduating, she hopes to move on to medical school.

Alessandra Contreras

2019 Transfer Student Recipient

Alessandra Contreras is a transfer student from Calexico, CA majoring in Criminology, Law and Society.  Her aunt is a UCI alumna. She plans to become a forensic psychologist and ultimately hopes to work for a federal agency like the FBI.  She is grateful for the scholarship money which will help with books and fees.