The Bruin Leaders Project is committed to fostering leadership development for all UCLA students. Graduate students of all fields of study are encouraged to join our program. Many of our seminars and community service connections are geared towards leadership development for graduate students. Jamal Madni, former Graduate Student Association President, is a BLP Alumni who was clearly able to put leadership skills learned in our program to good use. BLP offers a variety of seminars that are a great resource for Graduate students, such as Public Speaking, Leadership Through Writing, Understanding Your Personality and Strengths, Leading with Emotional Intelligence, and many more! We continue to add new seminars each quarter, so please check our seminar schedule link to find a listing of our current seminars.
At BLP, we encourage students to become involved Below are service opportunities approved by GSA, where students are able to become responsible citizens in the UCLA community by volunteering at a myriad of programs. Students are also welcome to seek community service opportunities beyond the ones listed below.
"The experiences, concepts and applications of leadership and even life garnered from BLP, are ones that cannot be found in any textbook. There were a number of individual moments during this year with GSA and in my day-to-day life, that I used an idea or technique that I learned from BLP. This program enhances your confidence level, social awareness and taps into your leadership capabilities. Its truly one of the most meaningful programs; a student can participate in at UCLA. Years down the line, when I look back at my fond memories of my UCLA experience, I will probably have forgotten a great majority of the details learned in the classroom; but the BLP experience will be etched in my memory" – Jamal Madni, GSA President.
Service Opportunities for Graduate Students recommended by GSA
Teach for America
Katie Brown, Graduate Student Recruiter, kathryneganbrown@gmail.com
Camp Ronald McDonald
Marisa Materna, Special Events Coordinator, Marisa@campronaldmcdonald.org, (310) 268-8488 (Southern California)
Camp Okizu
Suzie Randall, Coordinator, suzie@okizu.org, (415) 382-9083 (Northen California)
SEED Mentoring Project
Kathryn Fitzmaurice, UCLA School of Law SEED Director, kfitzmaurice@gmail.com
Make a Wish Foundation
Brooke Dafesh, Events Manager, bdafesh@wishla.org, (310) 788-9474 Union Station
Marisa Albanese, Volunteer Coordinator, malbanese@unionstationhs.org, (626) 240-0720
Union Rescue Mission
Alex Cornejo, Volunteer Department, (213) 347-6300 extension 1149, email csc@gsa.asucla.ucla.edu for volunteer information and documents
LA Family Housing
Cecilia Ribakoff, (818) 982-4091 extension 129, info@lafh.org
School on Wheels
Contact the main office at (310) 589-2642 for information, email information@schoolonwheels.org, website www.schoolonwheels.org
Heal the Bay
Contact the main office at (310) 451-1500 or (800) HEAL-BAY, www.healthebay.org
Project Angel Food
Contact the main office at (323) 845-1816, website www.angelfood.org
One Legacy (Transplant Donor Network)
Stephanie Schmitz, Volunteer and Community Events Coordinator, (714) 961-1356, sschmitz@onelegacy.org
Students Run LA
Nikki Carelli, Program Director, (818) 654-1620, nikki@srla.org
Challenge for Charity (Anderson)
EGSA SAT Prep Program
Christiane Abouzeid, GSA CSC Director, csc@gsa.asucla.ucla.edu
Tree People
Lisa Sotelo, Volunteer Coordinator, (818) 753-4600, volunteer@treepeople.org