WELCOME LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR
Welcome Anteaters!
On behalf of our community at the Womxn’s Center for Success, I extend a warm and enthusiastic welcome to campus at the start of the academic year. We are a brave, energetic, supportive, and welcoming space that is here to help you navigate campus life, co-curricular involvement, education, and personal life. As we all navigate an everchanging challenging world around us, I encourage you to stop by our center to find community and support.
I hope that this guide, coupled with our in person services, resources, and programs, will help you through your UC Irvine journey. Put together by our amazing student staff, this guide can help you find your community, get involved with a campus organization, and learn about important resources to make you successful. We intended for this guide to be a tool to make the transition to campus life a little easier. Utilize it as you start to have questions, but know our staff are always here to assist as well.
As we look towards the future navigating uncertainty, the Womxn’s Center for Success is energized to evolve, learn, grow, and adapt alongside you. Our commitment to provide dynamic programming that creates space to explore identity, foster personal growth and builds community connections. Feel free to call on me and the other resources in this guide. We look forward to seeing you, supporting you, and having you as a part of our community.
Nos Vemos,
Sydney Torres (she/hers/ella) Director, Womxn's Center for Success
The University of California, Irvine resides on the traditional territory of the Acjachemen and Tongva people.
WELCOME LETTER FROM THE
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Welcome to the UCI Womxn’s Community!
We are so excited to have you here at UC Irvine, where womxn’s voices, experiences, and successes are celebrated, uplifted, and supported. Whether you’re a first-year student, a graduate scholar, or somewhere in between, you are stepping into a campus filled with opportunities, connections, and a strong network of womxn who are here to inspire and empower you. This journey is yours to shape, and we are here to make sure you have the resources, support, and community to thrive every step of the way.
Inside this guide, you’ll find a wealth of resources—both on and off campus— designed to support your academic, professional, and personal growth. Our goal is to ensure that you feel seen, valued, and equipped to navigate your time at UCI with confidence and support.
As you explore this guide, remember that you are never alone in this journey. The Womxn’s Center for Success and the larger UCI community are here to stand with you, advocate for you, and celebrate you. We encourage you to get involved, ask questions, and take advantage of the incredible support system available to you. Welcome to a community that is committed to your success, your well-being, and your empowerment—we can’t wait to see all that you accomplish!
XOXO, Erika Cortez, M.Ed.
She/Ella Assistant Director
THANK YOU FOR READING
Developing the Womxn's Guide to UCI as a resource to our community would not have been possible without the active contribution and work being done by our various campus partners. Our hope is that you are able to use this guide as a means to help you navigate through your experience at UCI with involvement, wellness, and connection opportunities. Our intention is to also allow for a more equitable experience for all people on campus through this guide and we understand that it is not always easy to navigate through sudden change. As our office name suggests, we hope this guide and our resources can help you be successful in your endeavors at UCI and that you are able to find a sense of community within our space. We encourage you to stay connected with us on social media or via email to further engage with the community! Please know that our staff is always available to provide support and assistance to you and are eager to get to know you. We greatly appreciate the support you have shown us by using this guide as a resource during your experience at UCI!
For specific questions, concerns, or feedback about the guide, please email womxnscenter@uci.edu with the subject "Womxn's Guide to UCI Feedback".
Thank you!
Katelyn Chapman Administrative Operations Student Assitant She/Her/Hers
MEET OUR STAFF
KATELYN CHAPMAN
ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS
STUDENT ASSISTANT
SHE/HER/HERS
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
ANGELA SANDOVAL-MEJIA LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
STUDENT ASSISTANT
SHE/HER/ELLA
GIOVANNA MANCINELLI
CREATIVE MEDIA DESIGNER
STUDENT ASSISTANT 1
SHE/HER/HERS
TRACY TRAN
COMMUNITY HEALTH & WELLNESS
STUDENT ASSISTANT
SHE/HER
MEET OUR STAFF
GABY PIMENTEL
CREATIVE MEDIA DESIGNER
STUDENT ASSISTANT 3
SHE/HER/HERS
SHAYLA MY TIEN HO
CREATIVE MEDIA DESIGNER
STUDENT ASSISTANT 2
SHE/HER/HERS
DESTINY NAVA PROGRAMS ASSISTANT
SHE/HER/ELLA/THEY/THEM/ELLE
WOMXN'S CENTER FOR SUCCESS
MISSION
STATEMENT
The Womxn’s Center for Success at UC Irvine advances gender equity by raising consciousness on social justice concepts, fostering personal growth, building community connections, encouraging identity development and increasing access to resources that support holistic well-being.
LOCATION AND HOURS OF OPERATION
Location: G458 4th Floor
Student Center South RISE
Suite Irvine, CA 92697
Hours of Operation:
Monday-Friday, 9 am-5 pm
RESOURCES AVAILABLE
• Menstrual hygiene products: organic pads & tampons
• Academic products: scantrons & blue/green books FRESH Hub snacks, hot tea/hot chocolate
• A variety of literature on feminism/feminist theory, intersectionality, sexuality, and more
• External condoms, finger condoms, dental dams, and lubricant
• Weekly programming
• Art therapy materials
WOMXN'S HERSTORY AT UCI
The Women's Center at the University of California, Irvine first opened in the 1973-74 academic year and was staffed by five volunteer coordinators and other volunteers. Supported by the Associated Students of UCI, its activities and services included a library, a calendar of activities, and several committees. The Center also offered a reading group, self-defense classes, consciousness-raising groups, day care, and information on health services.
In 1994 the Women's Resource Center became the Center for Women and Gender Education. In the fall of 2001, the center was renamed the Center for Women and Men. Supported by the Office of Student Affairs, the Center offered programs concerning gender issues for both women and men, while continuing to address the special needs and interests of women. In 2006, funding for the Center for Women and Men was suspended until the Womxn’s Hub was born in the Fall of 2016. The Hub then renamed to Womxn’s Center for Success in Summer of 2021. With a move to its own space on the 4th floor of the Student Center and an establishment of more permanent funding sources, the Hub was ready to become a center again!
The Womxn's Center for Success was founded through the collaboration of some dynamic womxn. The former Director of the UCI Cross-Cultural Center, Jade Agua, partnered with former Director of the Womxn's Hub, Tamara Austin, to discuss the lack of a womxn's center at UCI. They discovered that the campus had a previous womxn's center and due to budget cuts, the center was disbanded. They assessed the number of womxn who were coming to the Cross-Cultural Center and used the Gender Initiative to bring the womxn's center back. A renovated space in the Cross-Cultural Center became the new home of the Womxn’s Hub. The center opened in September 2016 and served over 1,000 students in the first year.
FEATURED PROGRAMS
MEET OUR COUNSELOR IN RESIDENCE
Shruti Mukkamala is a former international student who has been living in the U.S. for 15 years now. She values education and the opportunities it brings, and looks forward to helping students as they navigate their educational journey. Her experiences of being a first-generation immigrant and a womxn of color in the U.S. have deeply impacted her personal identity and professional interests. She has a particular interest in working with womxn of color in STEM fields, international and immigrant womxn, graduate students and Asian and Asian American womxn.
Dr. Shruti hosts group sessions to our Sad Girls Club at UCI quarterly. Join the Sad Girls Club at UCI Facebook group to attend live sessions!
Dr. Shruti Mukkamala, Ph.D.
SAD GIRLS CLUB AT UCI
The Sad Girls Club at UCI Facebook group was created in Fall 2020 in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic with the intention to normalize ALL the emotions we feel as humans (the good, bad, sad, and happy). It is a safe virtual space to connect and process all feelings for those who want to share about their experiences without societal judgment. With over 140 members, this community is full of support, empowerment, and emotional and social wellness. It provides a peer to peer space to normalize all feelings in a world where womxn are often shamed for emotions.
WE RISE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
The We Rise Ambassador Program was created in Fall 2020 to provide a volunteer experience for students who are passionate about the work of the Womxn’s Center for Success, and who want to build community connections through outreach and in-person events. Ambassadors have the opportunity to assist in planning, marketing, and attending events to promote the Womxn’s Center and bring awareness to womxn’s issues. This program also includes attending a seminar that provides personal and professional development opportunities for Ambassadors to integrate skills and practices that empower personal growth.
WORKSHOP OFFERINGS
Radical Well-Being (50 Minutes) -In this workshop, Womxn’s Center staff will hold space to talk about our perceptions of well-being, suggestions and benefits for practicing taking care of ourselves, collect resources that can assist us and end with a guided meditation.
Womxn’s Center for Success 101 – (30 Minutes) (Included in all workshops above but can be delivered on it’s own) – This short presentation is available to introduce students, faculty, and staff to the offerings of the Womxn’s Center. Womxn’s Center Staff will go over upcoming events, support services, and resources that our office provides. It also includes a short overview of our Womxn’s Guide to UCI.
Menstrual Wellness (Staff and Faculty groups only) (60 minutes) – This workshop educates folx on period poverty, ways UCI is working towards menstruation equity, and actionable steps for you to dismantle period poverty. This is in collaboration with the UCI Basic Needs Center.
EMPOWER US SUMMIT
The EmpowerUS Summit is an annual leadership conference hosted by the Womxn’s Center for Success. The event is free for all undergraduate and graduate students, and all UCI-affiliated faculty and community members are welcome. The Summit serves as a space for students to harness their power and potential and learn valuable lessons and skills from a diverse list of guest speakers. At the 2024 EmpowerUS Summit, panelists discussed a range of issues, including advocacy, leadership, mentorship, financial wellness, and mental health.
DYNAMIC WOMXN OF UCI AWARDS
The Dynamic Womxn of UCI Awards event celebrates and honors the incredible womxn who are leaders and role models actively making a difference in our community. This is a one of a kind celebration focused on the womxn who inspire us to take action and to fight for causes we believe in. The awards ceremony is hosted during Spring, and the categories include Academic Achievement Award, Ally Award, Outstanding Social Justice Activist Award, Comittee Spotlikght Award, Dynamic Womxn of the Year, and the Tamara Austin Legacy Award. These awards have been given out every year since 2014.
LGBTRC
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER RESOURCE CENTER
The LGBTRC offers education & advocacy services for intersectional identity development and is a space inclusive of all LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff. Its core values include diversity, social justice, education, student development, holistic wellness, advocacy, visibility, and leadership .
One of the programs hosted by the LGBTRC is Grrrl Talk , which is a space for feminine/femme gender identiyfing students to meet and discuss topics that intersect with ideas of femininity.
Location: Third Floor of Student Center
Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm
OTHER PROGRAMS & TERMINOLOGY SHEET
Queers Unidos Eternamente Sobresaliendo Oscuridad. A group for students who hold the intersection of LGBTQIA+ and Latinx identities.
Irvine Queers : A group for the LGBTQIA+ community and allies.
T-Time . A program for transgender, nonbinary, and/or gender questioning people.
Guyyy Talk . A program for masculine/masc gender identifying people.
Ace/Aro. A program for asexual, aromantic, and/or questioning people.
QTIPOC. A program for Queer Trans Indigenous and Intersex People of Color.
Stay Woke . A space for discussion of local, national, and global news.
Bi/Pan/Fluid . A program for bisexual, pansexual, fluid, attracted to multiple genders, and/or questioning people.
UCI BASIC NEEDS CENTER
The UCI Basic Needs Center is a community resource that offers a food & toiletry pantry, social work consultations, CalFresh application assistance, access to supplemental meal swipes, life skills workshops, and more.
Location: 800 W Peltason Dr, Irvine, CA 92617
Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10-3pm Visit their website for up-to-date hours of operation.
INFANT TODDLER CENTER
The Infant Toddler Center is a childcare facility available to UCI students, staff, and faculty. The Center helps ensure parents and guardians are able to maintain both careers and families. Additionally, the Center strives to establish continuity between home care and day care so children and their families are best served. Tuition rates and applications may be found on their website.
OTHER STUDENT LIFE & LEADERSHIP CENTERS
In addition to the Womxn’s Center, Cross-Cultural Center, LGBTRC, and the Basic Needs Center, departments under Student Life & Leadership include:
Office of Academic Integrity & Student Conduct: https://aisc.uci.edu/
Office of Campus Organizations: https://campusorgs.uci.edu/
Center for Black Cultures Resources, and Research: https://blackcultures.uci.edu/
Latinx Resource Center: https://latinx.uci.edu/
Center for Student Leadership: https://studentleadership.uci.edu/
Office of the Dean of Students: https://dos.uci.edu/ DREAM Center: https://dream.uci.edu/
International Center: https://ic.uci.edu/
Sorority & Fraternity Life: https://sororityfraternity.uci.edu/
Student Outreach and Retention Center: https://soar.uci.edu/
Sustainability Resource Center: https://sustainability.uci.edu/studentinvolvement/src/
Veteran Services Center: https://veteran.uci.edu/
Volunteer Programs: https://volunteer.uci.edu/
CAMPUS ASSAULT RESOURCES AND EDUCATION (CARE)
Access virtual resources by calling (949) 824-7273 or emailing care@uci.edu.
The CARE Office is a resource open to all members of the UCI community seeking free and confidential services regarding sexual assault, relationship abuse, family violence, and/or stalking. CARE offers opportunities for education and programming in order to end power-based personal violence. More information about their support services may be found on their website.
TAKE BACK THE NIGHT (TBTN)
Experience UCI Take Back the Night 2025!
UCI CARE is pleased to announce UCI’s Take Back the Night (TBTN) 2025, a student-led event to raise awareness and be in solidarity with those whom power-based personal violence has impacted. This years’ theme is “Strength in Unity, Power in Community.”
Join us in person on Ring Road in front of the Flag Poles on Wednesday, April 30th, 2025, at 6:00 pm. TBTN is a powerful annual event dedicated to raising awareness about sexual and power-based violence, supporting survivors, and empowering our community to take action. This event has many facets including keynote speakers and performances, a candlelight march, a resource fair where you can win prizes, and a speak-out, and we’d love your support in making it happen!
CENTER FOR STUDENT WELLNESS AND HEALTH PROMOTION
SERVICES
Condom Co-Op, where students may receive up to five free condom co-op items and two free lubricants per day
Consultations on topics including alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, sexual health, nutrition, mental health awareness, and wellness
Lactation Station
Wellness Room, which includes massage chairs, meditation pillows, four memory foam bean bags, tea station, and self-guided wellness activities
Wednesday Wellness Walks
Location: Third floor of the Student Center
Hours of Operation: MondayFriday, 8 am-5 pm
The Center for Student Wellness and Health Promotion is committed to addressing students’ unique and relevant health needs and concerns. The Center provides comprehensive programs and coordinated services to build awareness through assessment and goal-setting, create balance by taking a wellness-based approach to health, develop healthy and sustainable habits, take pride in achieving your personal best, and inspire community by leading fellow Anteaters to be healthy.
LACTATION SUPPORT
The Womxn's Center for Success has its own Lactation Room in Room G431 that opened in Winter 2022. In our private lactation room, you will find a comfortable sofa to relax and lactate, a mini fridge for milk storage, storage area for your personal use, chair and table, coloring books and children's clothes for your children, cleaning wipes for your pump, and area for diaper changing.
In total, UCI currently has 14 campus locations for lactation. The Center for Student Wellness and Health Promotion, located on the third floor of the Student Center also offers a lactation station open Monday-Friday from 8 am-5 pm. Access is based on a first come, first serve basis for 30 minutes at a time.
Room assignments may be accessed here. Use the interactive map to locate stations by clicking on the image.
GENDER INCLUSIVE RESTROOM
LOCATIONS
UCI has designated all person, all access restrooms across campus for community members who may be transgender, non-binary, or gender fluid in identity and/or expression. We also have community members who are parents, disabled, or need a space to prepare for prayer. Since 2009, the LGBTRC has worked diligently to bring our campus over 200 gender inclusive restrooms.
Use the interactive map to locate gender inclusive restrooms by clicking on the image below. Notable locations include Aldrich Hall, Anteater Recreation Center, Cross-Cultural Center, and Student CenterASUCI Wing.
DEPARTMENT OF GENDER & SEXUALITY STUDIES
The Department of Gender & Sexuality Studies (GSS) is the center for feminist scholarship at UCI. As scholars, the Department is committed to drawing attention to how the constructions around gender and sexuality are not natural nor rooted in biology but rather in the cultural, political, and economic processes that develop them. The Department utilizes three methods in their teaching and research: Feminist Transnational Analysis, Critical Interdisciplinarity, and Cultural Theory.
Here is a list of courses you may take if you would like to learn more about gender and sexuality studies:
Introduction to Queer Studies
Gender and Feminism in Everyday Life
Gender and Power
Gender and Popular Culture
Gender and Science
Gender and Law
Gender and Religion
We have highlighted some student-led organizations that may interest you. To view all registered campus organizations and their descriptions, please visit this page.
GIRLGAINS
Their mission is to promote female weight lifting while empowering women to feel strong and beautiful in a judgment-free community. Founded at San Diego State University in 2020 by students with a passion for fitness, Girl Gains was created to provide women of all backgrounds and fitness levels with community, resources and confidence.
A global movement, inspiring women to dominate in and out of the weight room.
THE WOMEN'S NETWORK
The Women's Network (TWN) is a national women’s networking organization that was launched on the campus of Syracuse University in the fall of 2017 by founder Jamie Vinick. TWN was created to provide collegiate women with the resources and tools they need to authentically and successfully network. TWN recognizes key barriers women often encounter when entering and advancing in the workforce, and works to amplify women’s voices to combat such obstacles. The Women's Network is a community of high-achieving, motivated women who are “unapologetically ambitious.”
PLANNED PARENTHOOD GENERATION ACTION
Planned Parenthood Generation Action at the University of California, Irvine exists to educate the university's community about reproductive health and reproductive health rights, to increase awareness on pro-choice activism on campus, and to serve as a
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS), Women in Information and Computer Sciences (WICS), Women in Leadership at UCI (WIL), Women in Law Association (WILA), Women in Film (WIF), Underrepresented Genders in Physics and Astronomy (UNITY), American Medical Women's Association (AMWA), Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
Hermanas Unidas de UCI
Her Campus
If, When, How
Womxn's Rowing Team, Rugby, Soccer, Softball, Ultimate Frisbee, Volleyball, Water Polo, Basketball, Lacrosse
JOINING A SORORITY
Recognized sororities at UCI belong to our center for Sorority & Fraternity Life. The community strives towards building inclusivity and fostering leaders who stand by the values, oaths, and commitments of their respective chapters. Additionally, Sorority & Fraternity Life engages with alumni, volunteers, campus administration, and the greater community as a way of shaping a meaningful and purposeful undergraduate experience.
According to data from Fall 2019, Sorority & Fraternity Life has a total of 1,824 members, 1,062 of which are Sorority members. Please visit the Sororities page to learn more about joining a chapter, which includes chapters belonging to the Panhellenic Association, Multicultural Greek Council, and National Pan-Hellenic Council.
If you would like to start your own registered campus organization at UCI, here is a guide to the registration requirements:
Have 3-5 signers (must be current UCI students)
Complete Agreement Forms & COOL Orientation
Upload Constitution
Pay $50 Registration Fee (by cash, check, or existing ASUCI account)
Attend a New Org Orientation Session (MANDATORY for new organizations)
New Org Advising Meeting (MANDATORY for new organizations)
LOCAL BUSINESSES WE LOVE
NECTAR CLOTHING
YOGA SHAKTI
9ROUND FITNESS
Location: University Center
Fulfill your wardrobe needs at Nectar Clothing, a clothing boutique tailored for those who love adventure, nature, and being with friends.
Location: University Center
Visit Yoga Shakti for yoga, meditation, ayurveda, acupuncture, and teacher training. Yoga Shakti offers a variety of pricing packages, ranging from single classes to monthly memberships. They are also now offering online classes!
Location: University Center
Join 9Round for kickboxing themed fitness programs! There are no class times, so you may visit whenever your schedule allows. Trainers are available to both help develop skills. Online workouts and free at-home workouts are available online now.
PHOTO CREDITS
CROSS-CULTURAL CENTER
PAGE: 15
BASIC NEEDS CENTER
PAGE: 17
CENTER FOR STUDENT WELLNESS & HEALTH PROMOTION
PAGE: 21
JEANNE SCHEPER
PAGE: 25
PLANNED PARENTHOOD GENERATION ACTION AT UCI
PAGE: 28
UCI SORORITY & FRATERNITY LIFE
PAGE: 29
THANK YOU FOR READING
Developing the Womxn's Guide to UCI as a resource to our community would not have been possible without the active contribution and work being done by our various campus partners. Our hope is that you are able to use this guide as a means to help you navigate through your experience at UCI with involvement, wellness, and connection opportunities. Our intention is to also allow for a more equitable experience for all people on campus through this guide and we understand that it is not always easy to navigate through sudden change. As our office name suggests, we hope this guide and our resources can help you be successful in your endeavors at UCI and that you are able to find a sense of community within our space. We encourage you to stay connected with us on social media or via email to further engage with the community! Please know that our staff is always available to provide support and assistance to you and are eager to get to know you. We greatly appreciate the support you have shown us by using this guide as a resource during your experience at UCI!
For specific questions, concerns, or feedback about the guide, please email womxnscenter@uci.edu with the subject "Womxn's Guide to UCI Feedback".
Thank you!
Katelyn Chapman Administrative Operations Student Assitant She/Her/Hers
