Annual Report 2025-26
SAGE Scholars:
Rooted in Excellence. Creating Pathways.
A Message from the Director
Rooted in Excellence.
Creating Pathways.
Dear SAGE Community and Philanthropy Partners, As we reflect on another remarkable year in the UC Irvine SAGE Scholars Program, I am grateful for a community that continues to believe in what is possible when talented students are given meaningful opportunities, trusted mentors, and the resources to thrive. This year, that commitment came to life in powerful ways. At our 2026 Leadership Summit, Scholars and alumni explored what it means to lead, adapt, and thrive in uncertain times. Through candid conversations, handson learning, and meaningful connections, students were reminded that success is not a straight line. It is built through resilience, relationships, and the willingness to step into new possibilities. Our community showed up, too. This year’s UCI Giving Day marked a significant milestone for SAGE, with alumni, families, friends, and community partners coming together to invest in opportunities for the next generation of Scholars. At the heart of SAGE are our Scholars. They continue to distinguish themselves academically and professionally. Some are entering the workforce, others are pursuing graduate and professional degrees, and many are already giving back as mentors, ambassadors, and advocates for the next generation. Their accomplishments are possible because of the network around them: donors and corporate partners who open doors, alumni who share their experience and connections, and campus and community partners who create opportunities to learn by doing. This report offers a glimpse of what that collective investment makes possible. Thank you for believing in our students, investing in their futures, and helping us create pathways that extend far beyond graduation. With gratitude,
Neda Moayedi Director, SAGE Scholars Program 2
SAGE Scholars Program
SAGE at a Glance For more than 25 years, SAGE has helped high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds turn academic potential into professional opportunity. Today, SAGE surrounds Scholars with the experiences, relationships and resources that help them make the most of their UC Irvine education and prepare for what comes next.
Excellence in Action Nearly
90% first-generation students
3.54
700+
100%
average graduating Scholar GPA
SAGE alumni
all-time graduation rate
These stats are OVERALL
80% Our Impact: Workforce
20%
34%
Graduate School
secured employment before graduation
These stats are 25-26 cohort
FOUR PILLARS Workforce & Career Readiness Paid internships, career preparation and meaningful professional experience.
Leadership and Professional Development Leadership development, career advising and preparation for life beyond UCI.
Service Learning
Networking
Community engagement that builds a lasting commitment to civic responsibility.
Connections with SAGE alumni and professionals across industries and fields.
Annual Report 2025-26
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The SAGE Leadership Summit: resilience, adaptability, confidence, and the ability to build meaningful relationships. The 2026 SAGE Leadership Summit brought Scholars, alumni, and professional partners together around one question: How do we thrive when the path ahead is uncertain?
A Community That Shows Up One of SAGE’s greatest strengths was on full display throughout the day: its alumni community with 25 alumni volunteers.
Through keynote conversations, professional development, financial literacy, alumni perspectives, and networking, Scholars explored the skills that matter beyond the classroom: resilience, adaptability, confidence and the ability to build meaningful relationships.
Graduates returned to share the challenges, pivots, and lessons they encountered along their own career paths. Scholars practiced navigating real-world financial decisions, expanded their professional networks and gained a more tangible picture of what their futures could look like.
You do not have to know exactly where the path leads to take the next step. 4
SAGE Scholars Program
Creating Pathways: From Potential to Opportunity
Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not. SAGE helps close that gap by connecting academic achievement with professional experience, mentorship, leadership development and meaningful relationships.
Workforce Pathway Preparation
Experience
Professional Network
Career Opportunity
Through yearlong internships, career workshops, employer connections, interview preparation, resume development, financial literacy, and professional mentorship, Scholars gain the practical experience and confidence to navigate the workforce.
Graduate School Pathway Exploration
Preparation
Application
Advanced Study
Through mentorship, research and professional experiences, informational interviews, application preparation, and exposure to graduate and professional pathways, Scholars learn to see advanced education as an achievable next step.
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Workforce Pathway: Preparing Students to Lead from Day One Through internships, career preparation, mentorship and professional connections, SAGE Scholars gain experience they can carry directly into the workplace. Zain Hannan Electrical Engineering | SAGE Scholar “SAGE has had a meaningful impact on both my academic and professional growth. Through SAGE, I’ve developed strong networking and resume-building skills, and the program played a key role in helping me secure my internship with Parker Aerospace. SAGE has provided a supportive environment and continues to motivate me as I pursue my goals.”
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Sherlin Chavez Psychology & Political Science | SAGE Scholar “SAGE has helped me grow professionally and personally through guidance, mentorship and a strong sense of community that helped me feel supported and confident in my journey. I am especially grateful to SAGE for the opportunity to participate in two internships this year, one with U.S. Bank through CLAOC and another with Human Options, an emergency shelter for domestic violence victims.”
Internship
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SAGE Scholars Program
Experience
Confidence
Opportunity
Workforce Pathway: From Preparation to Opportunity SAGE helps Scholars translate academic achievement into meaningful professional opportunity through career preparation, mentorship, and real-world experiences. Mariajose Lopez-Ochoa Education Sciences & Social Policy and Public Service | Class of 2026 NEXT STEP: CalTeach Mariajose has accepted a full-time position with UCI’s CalTeach program after graduation.
“Having opportunities to practice interviewing, build my resume, and network with others has been vital to opening doors I wouldn’t have known about otherwise. SAGE is a place where I feel safe and empowered to tackle the next steps of my career.”
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Graduate School Pathway: Expanding What’s Possible For Scholars pursuing graduate and professional education, SAGE helps transform an ambitious goal into an achievable pathway. Through mentorship, career advising, and exposure to alumni who have navigated advanced degrees themselves, Scholars gain both the practical tools and the confidence to pursue what comes next. Kathy Tuyettam Luong Public Health Policy | Class of 2026 “I can say with full confidence that I would not be where I am today without SAGE.” When Kathy first considered pivoting into healthcare, she wasn’t sure where to begin. With encouragement and mentorship from SAGE, she found the confidence to take the first step. “Because of Neda and Cecy’s unwavering support and mentorship, I was accepted into the top graduate nursing programs in the country, something I once thought was completely out of reach.” NEXT STEP: UCLA Nursing Program Kathy will continue her journey toward a career in nursing at UCLA.
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SAGE Scholars Program
Leadership & Belonging: Scholars Becoming Leaders SAGE prepares students for more than a first job or graduate degree. Scholars also find opportunities to lead, mentor and strengthen the community around them. STUDENT VOICE Marcel Gibson Criminology, Law & Society | Class of 2026 “SAGE has had a profound impact on both my personal and academic growth. I have developed valuable skills such as public speaking, taking initiative, and becoming a more confident leader.” “SAGE has provided a strong sense of community, allowing me to build meaningful connections. It has been a safe and welcoming space where I feel comfortable being myself.”
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Esmeralda Coeto-Medina Psychological Science & Urban Studies | Continuing SAGE Scholar Scholar – Ambassador – Teaching Assistant “SAGE has provided me with workshops, leadership summits, and servicelearning projects that have helped me grow far beyond my professional skills. I’ve built financial literacy, experienced personal growth, and found an extraordinary support system.” “Watching the SAGE program evolve while evolving alongside it has been one of the greatest highlights of my college experience.” LEADERSHIP JOURNEY After serving as a SAGE Ambassador last year, Esmeralda is returning as an Ambassador and will also serve as a Teaching Assistant for the Fall SAGE class.
Students don’t have to wait until graduation to give back. Annual Report 2025-26
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Investing in Opportunity
Our Community Showed Up SAGE’s impact depends on a community willing to invest in opportunity. This year, that commitment came to life on UCI Giving Day.
$17,350
122
raised
gifts
What your support makes possible Professional experiences
Networking
Leadership opportunities
Graduate school preparation
Mentorship Every gift to SAGE helps a Scholar say yes to an opportunity, whether that’s an internship, a new professional connection, a graduate school application or an experience that helps them see what’s possible. Thank you to all the 122 donors who invested in SAGE Scholars this Giving Day.
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Looking Ahead: Excellence That Multiplies SAGE’s impact comes from an intentionally designed program that combines specialized coursework with professional experiences, mentorship and community. Together, these experiences help Scholars build the skills, confidence and connections to pursue what comes next and, in time, open doors for others. As we look ahead, SAGE will continue opening doors: expanding access to meaningful professional experiences, deepening alumni engagement, strengthening employer and community partnerships, and helping more Scholars see what is possible.
THE SAGE NETWORK Scholars • Alumni • Mentors • Employers • Donors • Community Partners Together, this network creates the opportunities, relationships, and support that help SAGE Scholars thrive. The pathway continues.
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Our Community of Support: Investing in the Next Generation SAGE’s impact is made possible by a community that believes in the potential of every Scholar.
Thank you to our corporate and community partners, donors, alumni, families, mentors and friends who continue to invest in SAGE Scholars and create pathways to opportunity, leadership and impact.
School of Education 2200 Education Irvine, CA 92697-5500 sagescholars.edu