SAGE Report 2024-25

Annual Report 2024-2025

SAGE Scholars:

25 Years of Opportunity and Impact

A Message from the Director

Dear SAGE Community, In this report, we highlight the inspiring journeys of several SAGE Scholars and alumni—students who have landed internships at leading companies like Parker Aerospace and Google, pursued graduate studies at top institutions, and made meaningful contributions to their communities.

Their stories show the true impact of the SAGE Scholars Program and the confidence, skills, and sense of belonging it fosters.

For 25 years, SAGE has been a place where students discover their potential, gain the tools to succeed, and build relationships that last long after graduation. What stands out most is the enduring community our Scholars carry with them — networks of mentorship, encouragement, and support that continue to grow with each new cohort.

We are especially proud of our alumni, who give back as mentors, advisors, and advocates for the next generation of Scholars. Their commitment reflects the heart of our mission: empowering students from all backgrounds to thrive academically, professionally, and personally.

As we look ahead, I am inspired by the brilliance, resilience, and generosity of our Scholars and alumni. I’m excited for the continued growth of the program and the impact we will make together.

With gratitude,

Neda Moayedi Director, SAGE Scholars Program

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Sage Scholars Program

Program Pathways

Workforce Pathway

Graduate School Pathway

Preparing Scholars for Meaningful Careers

Supporting Ambition and Advanced Study

The Workforce Pathway equips Scholars with the tools, confidence, and experiences to excel in professional careers. From securing internships at leading companies to developing leadership and practical workplace skills, our Scholars are prepared to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the corporate world. In this section, we highlight two current students and an alum whose journeys demonstrate the transformative impact of SAGE—from landing meaningful internships to launching successful careers—and the ways they give back to the next generation of Scholars.

The Graduate School Pathway supports Scholars as they pursue advanced degrees and academic excellence. Through mentorship, research opportunities, and personalized guidance, SAGE empowers students to explore ambitious educational goals and achieve them with confidence. In this section, we share the stories of two students and an alum whose experiences illustrate how SAGE prepares Scholars for graduate study, fosters leadership, and cultivates a lifelong commitment to giving back to their community.

Students in this pathway: Students in this pathway:

77%

23%

Table of contents 2

Director’s Message

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Program Pathways

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Graduating Scholars at a Glance

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SAGE Celebrates 25 Years

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Spotlighting Our SAGE Scholars

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Academic Honors & Distinctions

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Leadership Summit & Financial Literacy

10 Brilliant Future Campaign Close 11 Sponsors

Annual Report 2024-2025

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Graduating Scholars at a Glance The 2024–25 SAGE Scholars graduating class continued to excel across academic achievements, career outcomes, and post-graduation pathways. A few highlights:

77%

32%

23%

will enter the workforce

obtained a job before graduation

will attend graduate school

31%

63%

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completed two or more bachelor’s degrees

earned a spot on the Dean’s Honor List in their final quarter

were inducted into Phi Beta Kappa

(UCI average: 10.5% across all students)

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1

3.53

student received the Chancellor’s Award of Distinction

average GPA for SAGE graduates

Sage Scholars Program

(UCI graduating average: 3.50; Pell Grant recipients: 3.47)

SAGE Celebrates 25 Years In 2024, we marked the 25th anniversary of the SAGE Scholars Program and took time to reflect on how far we’ve come together. Since day one, SAGE has been committed to empowering first-generation and low-income students with the tools and resources they need to succeed both academically and professionally. Through the unwavering support of our alumni, donors, and campus partners, the program has transformed opportunities for hundreds of Scholars.

Reaching this milestone underscores the deep and lasting impact SAGE has had on students’ lives - from academic guidance to career development to thelifelong community they build here.

We’re excited for all that lies ahead and deeply grateful to everyone who has helped shape SAGE’s legacy. Once a SAGEr, ALWAYS a SAGEr!!!

Annual Report 2024-2025

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Spotlighting Our SAGE Scholars From Internships to Graduate School to Lifelong Careers: The SAGE Impact Vanessa Rangel-Salinas ’25 Vanessa Rangel-Salinas had been applying unsuccessfully to internships in sales, marketing and product management. Once she joined the SAGE Scholars Program, everything changed. SAGE staff encouraged her to apply for an internship in supply chain logistics at SAGE partner company Parker Aerospace. It would get her foot in the door of the corporate world, even if it wasn’t exactly the role she ultimately wanted. Fast forward to 2025, Vanessa has graduated from UCI and now works full time on Parker’s tactical buying team, building her career within a Fortune 500 company. Already, Vanessa has been able to give back by advising other SAGE students applying for internships. “I did not imagine myself in this career, but now it’s something I can see myself doing long term,” Vanessa says. “Without SAGE, I would still be navigating what to do with my life.”

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Helena Sun ’26

Helena Sun, a computer science major with a minor in mathematics, recently accepted a full-time software engineering role at Google and will be moving to Seattle after graduation! As a SAGE Scholar, Helena received support in securing a Google internship, which ultimately led to her full-time offer. She describes the SAGE Scholars Program as every bit as transformative as the internship itself.

“What I learned in SAGE is beyond getting into the job, it’s everything after that: how to ace the internship, make connections, and get ready for the next step,” Helena says. “I’m being coached for life.” Helena points to practical life skills she’s gained through SAGE, from understanding credit scores and retirement accounts, to using power postures to boost confidence and meditation to de-stress. Perhaps most impactful, she’s built a network of friends through SAGE that will be with her for life: “It really feels like I belong to a community with SAGE,” she says. “It’s very nice to know that these people have your back.”

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Sage Scholars Program

Laura Beck ’16 The SAGE Scholars Program helped Laura Beck ’16 connect with other non-traditional students who had experiences in common with her as a parent embarking on undergraduate studies in her mid-20s. “I really appreciated everything SAGE staff did to make us feel like we belonged,” Laura says. As a chemical engineering major with a minor in materials engineering, Beck knew she would be highly employable. But SAGE staff coached her through the application and interview process, and encouraged her to apply for positions even when they are not a perfect match on paper.

“SAGE gave me a lot of confidence to apply for jobs I otherwise would not have,” she says. That lesson has proved useful over the years — even helping her transition to Northrop Grumman, where she is currently a Launch Systems Integration Engineer. Now, she shares those same lessons with a new generation of SAGE interns. “It’s fulfilling for me to help the current students, and it’s paying it back, too, for all the help I got through SAGE.”

Julio Gomez ’25

At first, Julio Gomez wasn’t sure why he needed to practice handshakes and elevator pitches in the SAGE Scholars Program. But, after he found himself chatting with someone who was — unbeknownst to him — a community college vice president who later offered him a job, he fully understood the importance of those lessons. “SAGE gave me the confidence to talk to anyone, even a VP,” says Julio. “And he saw how my passion shined through right away.” As Julio explored career opportunities through SAGE, he eventually realized what he most enjoys is helping others navigate higher education, especially first-gen students like him. He worked in multiple roles at UCI and on community college campuses providing mentorship and counseling, before he graduated in 2025. Now, he’s working toward a master’s in counseling at Cal State Northridge, with the goal of pursuing a career in college counseling. But he’s not on that road alone. “SAGE is my community,” he says. “We all aspire to do better, and it elevated me to know that the person right next to me wanted that as much as I do.”

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Jasmine Gutierrez ’25 “Joining SAGE was the best decision of my life,” says Jasmine Gutierrez ’25. Initially, the program helped her feel less alone after transferring to UC Irvine as a public health policy student. But eventually, it helped her achieve things she had never dared to dream. “I met the best community of students, and Neda and Ceci are the greatest mentors.” They pushed Jasmine to apply to graduate programs she thought were beyond reach.

Ultimately she was accepted to an Ivy League master’s of public health program. As Jasmine prepares for the next step in her career, she is already thinking about how she can help uplift others in SAGE. “The SAGE network is just amazing, and I see alumni taking time out of their lives to immerse themselves back into the SAGE community and help younger scholars,” she says. “That’s inspired me to do the same for others.”

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Richard Kwong ’04, M.D. ’11 Richard Kwong ’04, M.D. ’11, has been an emergency medicine doctor for well over a decade – a big shift from his undergraduate days as an electrical engineering major. As a first generation college student, he credits the SAGE Scholars Program with helping him find the right career fit. “I look back at SAGE, and it gave me the exposure I needed, and I built on that,” he says. “I ended up with a career that I love, even though that’s not engineering.” Through SAGE, Richard interned with both an engineering firm and a biomedical company, which helped him realize he wanted a career that more directly helps people. Switching to medicine, he graduated from UC Irvine’s medical school and completed a residency at Georgetown University Hospital. Now, 20 years later, Richard lives and works in Georgia, but remains connected to SAGE. In addition to advising students, he has donated thousands of dollars to the program. “SAGE is an amazing program for people like me,” Richard says. “I love to continue giving back to a program that elevates others.”

Annual Report 2024-2025

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Academic Honors and Distinctions In 2025, the SAGE program continued its strong record of academic excellence and student achievement. Five Scholars were inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, one of the nation’s most prestigious honor societies, recognizing outstanding academic performance and commitment to the liberal arts and sciences. Another Scholar earned the Chancellor’s Award of Distinction, honoring exceptional leadership, service, and contributions to the UCI community. These accomplishments reflect the dedication, resilience, and scholarly excellence of our students, and the supportive community that helps them thrive. We’re excited to build on this momentum in the year ahead.

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Sage Scholars Program

Leadership Summit & Financial Literacy The 2025 SAGE Leadership Summit, themed “A Bite of Reality”, provided Scholars a hands-on look at the real-world challenges they’ll navigate as they move from college into their careers.

We partnered with SchoolsFirst Credit Union to host an interactive financial literacy simulation in which Scholars made budgeting decisions, balanced expenses, and planned for the future.

The experience offered a practical, eye-opening introduction to financial independence — and the kinds of decisions they’ll soon manage in everyday life.

A highlight of the day was keynote speaker Ryan Foland, who set the tone with a powerful message about embracing failure as part of growth. His personal stories and practical advice on navigating setbacks resonated across the room, leaving Scholars energized and more confident in their ability to persevere.

The Leadership Summit was both transformative and deeply grounding — a day filled with learning, connection, and inspiration. We are grateful to our alumni, volunteers, and partners for making the experience meaningful and memorable for every Scholar who attended.

In the afternoon, the focus shifted to career readiness with “Career Conversations: A Passport to Networking.” SAGE alumni led roundtable discussions, sharing candid stories about entering the workforce as firstgeneration professionals, overcoming workplace challenges, and building confidence in networking. Their honesty and encouragement gave Scholars a clearer sense of what lies ahead and a stronger feeling of community.

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Brilliant Future Campaign Close At UC Irvine’s Brilliant Future campaign close celebration on October 4, SAGE Scholar Kristal Bastedo ’22 was invited to share her personal journey and the impact the SAGE Scholars Program has had on her academic and professional development. Speaking to campus leaders, donors, and alumni, Kristal reflected on the mentorship, community, and opportunities that shaped her time at UCI and beyond - and how philanthropy helped open those doors.

Her remarks were a powerful reminder of what investment in students makes possible.

We were incredibly proud to have a SAGE Scholar represent the program at such a historic moment for the university.

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Sage Scholars Program

Sponsors Thank you to the many sponsors of the SAGE Scholars Program over the years. Your contributions help in providing programming, resources, and inspiration to the future leaders of Orange County.

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School of Education 2200 Education Irvine, CA 92697-5500 sagescholars.edu