[Orgvpdue] March 2026 DUE Spotlight

[Mona Nelson on behalf of Louie Rodriguez]

*Undergraduate Education Monthly Spotlights*
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The* DUE Monthly Spotlight Series* aims to highlight important advances
across the Division of Undergraduate Education. The goal is to ensure that
our fellow DUE members stay in the know as we collectively work toward
DUE’s strategic goals, including boosting graduation rates and reducing
equity gaps, among others.
CRFs travel to Washington, D.C. to advocate for undergraduate research
funding

Senior Chancellor's Research Fellows, *Janna Soliman and Sree Surineni,
participated in the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) Scholars
Transforming Through Research (STR) program with Gladis Herrera-Berkowitz
in March.* This event is intended to provide training and access to
advocate for undergraduate research funding. During the visit to D.C., the
fellows and Gladis participated in advocacy training on communicating
effectively with elected officials and the media. CNAS Associate Dean
Stephanie Dingwall and three CNAS students also participated in the
program. As a team, the students were great advocates, articulating the
impact of their research experiences on their academic trajectories, career
aspirations, and the broader impact of their research. *They engaged in
conversations with the offices of Senator Alex Padilla, Senator Adam
Schiff, and Representative Mark Takano*.

During the meetings, the fellows shared how undergraduate research at UCR
has shaped their academic journeys and highlighted the critical role that
federal research funding plays in supporting student innovation and
discovery--from advancing bioengineering research to developing cures for
Alzheimer's. These conversations emphasized how investment in research
empowers the next generation of scientists and engineers. It was rewarding
to witness the Senior CRFs advocating effectively for undergraduate
research and representing the impact of research opportunities at UCR, not
just for them but also for the many first-generation UCR students. This was
a transformative experience for all participants!
CUREL to host 20th Undergraduate Research & Creative Activities Symposium

The 20th Undergraduate Research & Creative Activities Symposium, *scheduled
April 20-24, will host 405 presentations and 485 presenters*. The schedule
will be posted on the Symposium website
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We invite campus partners to help us make this event a positive learning
experience for the presenters by volunteering to moderate or judge virtual
presentations (April 21-23) or judge in-person poster presentations
(Friday, April 24). One hour of your time can help 3-4 students.
Additionally, your contributions will help us select the best presentations
in each college. Winning students will receive a monetary award and a
hosted lunch with campus leadership. Look for our call for volunteers
shortly.
UWP's IAWP teachers attend California Association of Teachers of English
Pre-Convention
*IAWP Director Agnes Mazur and IAWP Co-Director Deanna Manker (front) with
IAWP presenters (from L-R) Keith Vance, Ninetta Papadomichelaki, Kim
Turner-Shukis and Francesca Astiazaran enjoying the Keynote at  CWP’s
Pre-Convention day at CATE.*

On March 5, 2026, a team from the Inland Area Writing Project (IAWP)
attended the California Association of Teachers of English (CATE)
Pre-Convention, hosted by the California Writing Project (CWP). The day’s
activities centered on the theme, “From Classrooms to Communities: Teaching
Writing for a Democratic Future.”

*IAWP Teacher Leaders Keith Vance* (UWP Associate Professor and Director of
Computer-Assisted Assessment and Instruction) and *Ninetta
Papadomichelaki *(UWP
Director of Academic Outreach and Lecturer) *co-presented on “Mapping the
Civic Self: Analyzing Personal Communication Patterns to Cultivate Civic
Agency,”* which focused on a writing pedagogy that empowers students to
become more aware and responsible participants in a democratic society.

In their co-presentation “Authorship & Information Literacy: Demystifying
Source Use to Empower Students,” IAWP Teacher Leaders Kim Turner-Shukis
(UWP Assistant MLL Director and Lecturer) and Francesca Astiazaran (UWP
Lecturer) shared ways in which they encourage students to find their
writerly voices through the building of scholarly compositions.

Both sessions were well-attended and enthusiastically received by
participants. In addition to presenting, IAWP’s Teacher Leaders had the
opportunity to network with K-College teacher leaders of writing from
across California.
UC mathematics preparation and STEM Pathways webinar

VPDUE Louie F. Rodriguez moderated a webinar earlier this month on the
topic of *Designing for a Changing Landscape of Math Reform*. The panel
brought together national and campus leaders to examine how the wider
educational landscape can shape STEM pathways and institutional choices.
Panelists reflected on the policy contexts, governance structures, and
institutional incentives that influence how reform efforts are envisioned
and implemented.


UCI School of Law Assistant Dean of Admission visits PPAC students

*Colleen Roney, Assistant Dean of Admissions at UCI School of Law*,
provided information to UCR students about UCI's admission procedures and
requirements earlier this month. Colleen discussed financial aid and the
various amounts and types of financial aid offered by UCI School of Law.
She shared UCI's early admission program and the various legal clinics
sponsored by UCI. Additionally, Colleen provided the UCR attendees with her
personal email and phone number if any of the attending students have
future questions. The students in attendance were extremely interactive
with Colleen and highly respectful of the information provided.

On April 24, 2026, *PPAC is taking twenty students to UCI School of Law for
half of a day* to visit the law school and learn more about UCI's various
programs and financial aid. The Dean of the Law School is also expected to
stop by and speak to the students.

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