The University of California, Riverside, presents "Blue, Gold, and Black," a new podcast dedicated to amplifying Black voices on our campus. In each episode, Dominique Beale, community engagement and outreach admissions recruiter and podcast host, will talk to UCR students, campus leaders, and community partners to explore the intersection of being Black and being a UCR Highlander. Upcoming episodes include conversations with Jamal Myrick, director of African Student Programs (ASP); Tamica Smith-Jones, director of Intercollegiate Athletics; Brian Haynes, vice chancellor of Student Affairs; and Ayoka Bell, psychologist with Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and CAPS liaison with ASP. Subscribe and listen to the latest episodes. Learn more about the podcast, where to listen, and how subscribe.

1. UCR's Library collaborated with African Student Programs (ASP) to develop a database of resources revolving around the Black experience and the Black Lives Matter movement. Check out the guide online.
2. African Student Programs (ASP) was the first professionally staffed Black student resource center in the University of California system and is carrying that history forward. One example of that ongoing legacy is that UCR is the first UC campus with an Umoja chapter. Based out of the California Community College system, Umoja supports and provides resources to transfer students.
3. Speaking of transfer students and firsts, the Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering has one of the first transfer centers for engineering students in the UC system. The center hosts the Transfer Transition Program, a year-long initiative designed to support incoming transfer students with tools to get on the fast track toward success.
4. Outside of academics, UCR promotes the physical, mental, and even financial health and wellness of our students. The six departments that make up Student Health & Wellness Services connect students with resources and programming that support their overall well-being, highlighting how important physical and mental health is for their success. UCR even has a Financial Wellness Program that helps R'Side get financially lit. Presented by the Office of Financial Aid, this program teaches money management skills for financial wellness in school and beyond.
5. The Career Center is one of the best resources for your undergraduates and post-grads. The staff members are dedicated to helping students get jobs and internships while attending college and can even help students in selecting the best major with their advising appointments. The Career Center hosts more than 10 career fairs dedicated to multiple disciplines and at these fairs, students have the opportunity to discover what knowledge, skills, and experience companies like Google, CoStar Group, Target, and Sorenson Engineering are seeking. If a student doesn’t have interview clothes, they can snag a few every quarter for FREE from the R’Professional Career Closet.

Hey y’all! My name is Allura Davis and I am the community engagement and outreach admissions counselor in the Undergraduate Admissions office here at UCR. Before joining the team at UCR, I was assistant director of admissions and enrollment services at Claremont School of Theology. My time at Claremont was amazing! It actually led me back to the UC system because I was able to enroll our largest and most-diverse class in over 35 years, just like I helped the school reach its admissions targets 30 months early. I wanted to continue this momentum but with a focus on the enrollment of diverse student populations in undergrad, like I'm able to do at UCR for Black Highlanders.

This interest in students of diverse backgrounds started while I was an undergrad majoring in sociology at the University of California, Irvine. The Black community was who I was really focused on and I began my research in "Black and African American Persistence and Retention Rates." My experience as a young, Black woman in Orange County wasn’t always the greatest. Those experiences prompted my work in higher education to provide opportunities and awareness, especially for those in my community, and the CEO unit allows me to work with students like myself — a first-generation college student who grew up in a low-income community and didn’t have as much help and knowledge as others about college. I am working to be the advocate I wish I had as a student. I am proud to hold a master's degree in education with a focus on educational leadership from Hawaii Pacific University that helps me guide students toward a path of not only surviving as I did but thriving toward graduation and all of their future plans for success. If you want to connect with me, email me at allura.davis@ucr.edu.

My name is Dominique Beale and I am an admissions recruiter for the Community Engagement and Outreach (CEO) unit at UCR. CEO is part of the Undergraduate Admissions department and my unit focuses on the recruitment of underrepresented minority students, in particular African/African American students. I have been working with UCR for the past two years and I wanted to work in higher education because helping students be successful brings me a lot of joy.

Some of my proudest moments with students have been the various programs and initiatives that I have hosted since working with UCR — summer enrichment programs, campus visits, field trips, and starting a podcast have been some of the highlights throughout my higher education career. I believe that UCR is a great school to consider because there are so many resources on campus dedicated to student success. We have academic resources, financial resources, gender and ethnic student resource centers, and much more! I would encourage students who are looking to pursue a higher education to really spend time thinking about the person they want to be in the future because college is a unique place in that it will help students become the best versions of themselves. If you want to connect with me, email me at dominique.beale@ucr.edu.

If your Community Based Organization (CBO) would like to partner with the Community Engagement and Outreach (CEO) unit, please email Allura Davis, community engagement and outreach admissions counselor, at allura.davis@ucr.edu, or contact rcommunity@ucr.edu. If your group would like to schedule a presentation from CEO, please complete this form.

There's no better way to get a feel for life at UC Riverside than from a current UCR student! Throughout the campus closure, our tour guides and engineering ambassadors are hosting webinars for community groups, giving you the opportunity to connect virtually with a current UCR student and learn more about the campus experience. We can’t wait to tell you about our incredible campus! If you would like to schedule a webinar, please complete this form.

Get to know UCR and all the things that make us UNIQUE, COMMITTED, REAL during Discover UCR, a virtual open house for prospective students and their families with sessions throughout October and November. Learn about admission requirements, application processes, and financial aid options. Connect with student success resources and campus organizations. Meet professors, advisers, and current students from our colleges and schools. Visit discover.ucr.edu to learn more.

The application for fall 2021 admission is now open! Students interested in attending UCR next fall as a freshman or transfer student can work on their applications now and submit their applications Nov. 1–30. Students who will be attending college next fall can start working on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); the application is due March 2. Visit admissions.ucr.edu for more upcoming dates and deadlines.