LEADR Student Center
The LEADR Student Center is open to any student who supports diversity and inclusion in the field of engineering and who shares a willingness to create a welcoming environment for all students. This dedicated study space allows students to study individually or in groups. Engineering community building is also encouraged so that (for example) first-year students can benefit from the experiences of juniors and seniors. Highlights include a media-scape feature and mobile whiteboards to support study groups and team projects.
The Chevron Corporation sponsors the LEADR Student Center (aka “The Center”) with additional contributions from AT&T, Boeing Company, Cisco Systems, Northrop Grumman Corporation, and Union Pacific. The Center represents the first industry investment at UC Davis devoted to student retention, including first-generation students and students from historically underserved backgrounds in engineering. These industry leaders — and many others — recognize the value of a diverse recruitment pool and of being able to fill entry-level jobs with the best and brightest university graduates.
Located in Room 1050 Kemper Hall, the Student Center is open during the academic year Mondays- Thursdays from 10:00 AM-8:00 PM and Fridays from 10:00 AM-4:00 PM. During the summer, the Student Center is open Mondays-Fridays from 9:00 AM-3:00 PM.
LEADR Program
The Leadership in Engineering Advancement, Diversity and Retention (LEADR) Program aims to recruit, retain, and graduate a diverse student population from the College of Engineering. The program also offers academic advising – LEADR students must meet with their program advisor quarterly for the first two years of school and attend weekly or bi-weekly meetings with their peers to explore the diverse engineering field. Tutoring, workshops, leadership skills, professional development, and graduate school preparation are supported via the involvement of numerous other campus units:
- The Educational Opportunity Program(EOP)/Summer Transitional Enrichment Program (STEP)
- The Student Academic Success Center
- The Center for Leadership Learning
- The Internship and Career Center
- The McNair Scholars Program
- UC LEADS
- The Undergraduate Research Center
- Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA)
Additional engagement is provided via input from diversity clubs within the College of Engineering, including the American Indian Scientists and Engineers Society, the Black Engineers Association, the Chicano and Latino Engineers and Scientists Society, the Society for Women Engineers, and the Pilipinx American Scientists and Engineers Society.
The UC Davis College of Engineering has long been dedicated to fostering a vibrant community of learning and scholarship. Diversity enhances this goal by contributing different voices and experiences to innovation, engineering problem-solving, and the application of solutions in an increasingly complex society. Through “the Center,” all students are encouraged to work outside their familiar environments while developing an appreciation for the perspectives and life experiences of their student peers.
For more information on LEADR or the Student Center, please contact:
Yesenia Cervantes-Tucker, Director of Undergraduate Retention Programs @ycervantestucker@ucdavis.edu
Vanessa Alvarez, Program Advisor @vgalvarez@ucdavis.edu
Leo Alamillo, Program Advisor, leojr@ucdavis.edu
For related information, visit: http://engineering.ucdavis.edu