The UC Irvine Retirees Association advocates for all UC Irvine retirees while fostering a vibrant community through social, educational and wellness programs. The UCIRA also makes a lasting impact on campus by supporting staff and student success scholarships.
Why Your Support Matters
With your generosity, UCIRA can:
- Enrich the retiree experience with lectures, local tours, wellness and cooking classes as well as monthly group walks, hikes and bike rides.
- Support education by contributing annually to the Staff Assembly Scholarship Program (for UC Irvine staff pursuing further education) and the UCIRA Legacy Scholarships (for incoming students).
- Advocate for retiree benefits by maintaining UC Irvine’s voice in the UC systemwide Council of UC Retirees Association, which champions health insurance and other critical retirement benefits.
Giving Day 2025: Expanding the UCIRA Legacy Scholarships
Our goal this year is to increase the number of Legacy Scholarship recipients and raise the award amounts to provide even greater financial support for students.
Beginning in fall 2025, UCIRA will award $27,000 in student scholarships – benefiting three freshmen and three transfer students – thanks to your generosity.
Your support directly impacts both UC Irvine retirees and future Anteaters. Every contribution helps expand scholarships, advocate for retiree benefits and provide enriching programs for our community.
About the Legacy Scholarships
Legacy Scholarships provide financial support to students who are immediate family members of a UC Irvine retiree, alumnus or current staff member. Recipients are selected in accordance with university policies and procedures.
Meet Our 2024-25 Legacy Scholarship Recipients
Fatima Alarcon – Freshman Recipient
Major: Aerospace Engineering
Background: A first-generation student from Corona, CA, Fatima was president of her high school’s Femineers female engineering club, empowering young women in STEM. She also participated in Norco’s NAVSEA Summer SEAP Internship as a Calibrator, gaining hands-on engineering experience.
Impact: This scholarship will allow her to pursue education and research with less financial worry.
Muhanad Hilal – Freshman Recipient
Major: Biological Sciences
Background: With a passion for neurobiology, Muhanad worked in a neuroscience lab at UC Irvine while still in high school. His mother is a UC Irvine alumna.
Impact: Receiving this scholarship will allow him to devote more time to his academic and research endeavors.
Trang Thanh Vo – Transfer Recipient
Major: Business Economics
Background: Trang, from Sacramento, CA, graduated high school at age 15 and later launched a successful graphic design business. Her uncle, Dr. Jimmy B. Tran (UC Irvine alumnus, class of 2000) established his own dental practice, City Dental OC, in Irvine.
Impact: She plans to use this scholarship to focus on her academic and entrepreneurial goals while contributing to UC Irvine’s diverse and dynamic community.
Anonymous – Transfer Recipient
Major: Public Health Sciences
| Rank | State | Gifts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CA | 1 |
| 2 | AA | 0 |
| 2 | AE | 0 |
