On April 12, UCLA hosted its annual Bruin Day, welcoming newly admitted first-year and transfer students to get acclimated to campus life. Alongside Bruin Day, several student-run organizations have made an effort to let admits of various backgrounds know they have a strong and thriving community here at UCLA.
The Latinx Admit Weekend, or LxAW, at UCLA, an event hosted from April 11 to 13, welcomed newly admitted students and parents to learn about UCLA from the perspective of current Latinx-identifying students and alumni. Though the events on April 11 and April 13 were held virtually over Zoom – consisting of financial aid workshops, familia bonding and alumni speakers – the committee held a series of in-person events April 12 that ran from 3:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Students went on POC Tours, or tours led by people of color, participated in activities with their parents, attended a dinner where they were able to network with Latinx alumni and concluded the night with a Pachanga, joyfully dancing to lively music.
Denisse Guevara-Carrillo, a fourth-year cognitive science student and a member of the workshops committee, has volunteered at the weekend for two years. She said that being able to talk to new admits and their parents has changed her as a person and made her feel more connected to her identity.
“A lot of parents are very curious and ask a lot of questions,” Guevara-Carrillo said. “Having that support system and having the workshops in English and Spanish made them feel understood and [know] that their child is safe at this school and that there’s a lot of resources here.”
Third-year public health student and co-head of the workshop committee Natalia Casillas said she has cried every time in the two years she has hosted the parent panel.
“It’s just very emotional to see parents express how they feel about their students without them being there,” Casillas said. “It lets the parents feel comfortable, because it’s not very common – at least, in [our] culture – to share in front of your child how you feel.”
Casillas wants Latinx admits to know that despite the current political climate in which the Trump administration has aimed to restrict diversity training and eliminate DEI in universities, they still have a voice on this campus.
“It just makes [me] feel so good to know that [we’re] helping the next generation feel more comfortable in a predominantly white institution, especially with everything that is happening right now,” Casillas said. “A lot of activities that are made for us to make UCLA more inclusive are under attack, and this is one of these events that are trying to help these admits not feel that their education and positions at UCLA are [being compromised]. We’re showing them that we’re still here and we’re still making UCLA a better place.”
For second-year biochemistry student Alondra Tzec, who was part of the design and media team, getting to see Latinx alumni at the event has encouraged her in her own academic success. “Seeing people that look like us having achieved so much [showed me] that people like me are good, and that I can be good too,” Tzec said.
Yelenny Hernandez, a third-year public health student and the head of the food and fundraising committee, said attending the weekend as a newly admitted student encouraged her to commit to UCLA because she was unable to find a community at other schools that set Latinx students up for success.
“It’s a full circle moment, being able to attend my own [weekend] and giving back to other Latinx students and parents,” Hernandez said. “Last year, one of the students submitted their [Statement of Intent to Register] during our event, so that was really special.”
The UCLA Pride Achievement Weekend, or PAW, was held in-person April 12 from 3:45 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. with the goal of helping newly admitted LGBTQ+ students get familiar with the queer community on campus. The event included a tour, craft fair, drag performance and queer comedian set.
Jessica Meeker, a second-year student volunteering with PAW, said she saw what a difference the weekend makes at UCLA and believes it is important for people who are part of or allies to the LGBTQ+ community to become affiliated with the LGBTQ+ community at UCLA.
“A lot of these students come from communities that don’t support or welcome them,” Meeker said. “Just knowing that here, we have a really awesome, welcoming and supportive community is more than I can ask for.”
The Pacific Islands’ Student Association, or PISA, invited newly admitted students and their parents to get involved with the Pacific Islander community on campus during its in-person admit weekend events April 12 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and April 13 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The event included a dinner, tour and workshops pertaining to student success.
Second-year student and one of the co-coordinators of PISA’s admit weekend Aubrey Lupola participated in the weekend when she was a new admit. She said it helped her feel more connected to her community and ultimately made her comfortable enough to commit to UCLA.
“I really wanted to be one of the heads for this event because I wanted to bring Pacific Islanders into UCLA,” Lupola said. “I really enjoyed it, and there’s definitely going to be a bigger turnout [this year] which makes me happier, so I’m assuming our event is helping with the income of Pacific Islanders.”
On the weekend of April 12 to 13, the Afrikan Student Union, or ASU, welcomed Black admits of the class of 2029 with a spirited lineup of 2000s-themed events dedicated to building community and increasing the presence of Black students on campus. Throughout the two-day extravaganza, current Black Bruins volunteered their time to host incoming students, allowing students to foster meaningful connections with Black peers and campus leaders. Saturday’s festivities featured a Black panel, an alumni dinner, a celebratory Blackout Party and a cozy movie night to conclude. The Black alumni dinner gave Bruins a chance to connect over a meal of traditional soul food, as incoming students sought advice for their UCLA journey beginning in the fall of 2025. The Black panel event offered delicious treats along with insight into UCLA’s diverse clubs, such as the Nigerian Students Association and Caribbean Students Association.
Throughout the event, volunteers engaged with newly admitted students, discussing the importance of seeing their cultural backgrounds represented on campus.
Volunteer Hannah Franks, a second year economics student, said, “When I was deciding what colleges to attend, Black Admit Weekend’s welcoming environment made me want to come here. They motivated me to accept my offer. I am primarily involved with Black-centered organizations, as they have shaped my experience at UCLA and made me feel connected.”
New admits Payton Sandridge and Sophia David nodded in agreement. Sandridge said, “I was surprised by the number of Black people. I expected fewer, but ASU has made me feel more welcome.”
“I am glad UCLA has a strong Black support system,” Sandridge added. “Seeing the different Black communities makes everything feel tight-knit. I’d say I’m hopeful about my experience … it was nice seeing UCLA’s diversity.”
The Blackout Party, hosted in De Neve Plaza, invited attendees to unwind with 2000s-inspired music and photo booths, offering students a chance to recharge after a long day of campus activities. The Y2K-themed movie night and a sleepover capped off an eventful day made possible by the dedicated marketing, logistics and planning teams within ASU. Co-chair of ASU, fourth-year African American studies and sociology student Kahlila Williams, spoke candidly about Black Admit Weekend.
“This is a historical event,” Williams said. “It was important to preserve this cultural legacy so that incoming UCLA students enjoy Bruin Day and look to the Black student population for support. Diverse celebrations like this create opportunities for Black students to become acquainted with peers, alumni, staff and faculty.”
Williams reiterated that “students are valued as Black people,” emphasizing how UCLA’s diverse populations feel seen and included in the larger institution.
Sunday’s entertainment encompassed a tour of UCLA’s top dining halls, a POC tour, a highlight of the university’s most inclusive spaces, an academic panel and a cookout at Sycamore Park to conclude. Events like the academic panel offered Bruins guidance on scholarship opportunities and time management, providing resources to support Black students during their transition to higher education.
The weekend’s celebrations are emblematic of the university’s efforts to create an affirming space for students to embrace their authentic selves. Student-facing events like the Latinx Welcome Weekend, PAW at UCLA, PISA’s First Year Admit Weekend and ASU’s Black Bruin Weekend present students of color and LGBTQ+-identifying students with a supportive environment to cultivate friendships before stepping into a classroom. These social celebrations serve to welcome a surge of diverse students, who feel they’ve found a home at UCLA in fall 2025.
Gallery:
A bright yellow banner fêtes the admission of UCLA's class of 2029. Normally empty on a Saturday afternoon, UCLA campus was full of life this weekend, with the Bruin bear bathing gladly in the attention. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
After tabling at Bruin Day and hosting the Black panel, the UCLA Black Alumni Association welcomes all those in attendance and kicks off its annual alumni dinner on behalf of UCLA's Black community. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
Macy Vertongen, a fourth year English student with a minor in history, from the Pacific Islands' Student Association, or PISA, advertises an event with speakers and food from a great number of Polynesian cuisines. The Freshmen Admit Weekend is one of PISA's five annual events, bringing admitted Pacific Islands students and families together to celebrate a diverse yet shared heritage at UCLA. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
After an evening of setting up decor and dinner, members of the Pacific Islands' Student Association chat as they prepare to greet the first families of the night. The organization is 39 years old this year, and Admit Weekend has become a true tradition. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
A vibrant sign welcomes students to Pachanga, a much-anticipated event for Latinx student admits topped with a DJ and classics in Latin music. As a celebration of accomplishments and a vibrant night of bonding, the event brings a sweet end to the student-organized UCLA Latinx Admit Weekend. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
Bruin Plaza bustles in blue and gold on Saturday afternoon as visitors of all ages imagine a future at UCLA. To celebrate a successful Bruin Day, the UCLA Store boasted a 20% off sale to newly admitted students and their families. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
Holding jigsaw pieces on which they have written their thoughts, Latinx admit students express the legacy they wish to leave behind in history on an inspirational trifold at check-in. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
Prospective students pose for photos by giant UCLA letters at the top of Tongva Steps. Placed on the backdrop of Royce Hall, Powell Library and the grassy fields of Dickson Court, Bruin Day is filled with opportunities to interact with UCLA's campus, students, and alumni. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
As the photographer prepares for a photo shoot, Joe Bruin entertains the young sister of an admitted student, bringing out authentic smiles and laughs from the family in Wilson Plaza. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
Volunteers for the Black by Popular Demand Admit Weekend pose for a group photo in front of a UCLA-themed photo wall. The event has been hosted by the UCLA Black Alumni Association annually to welcome students of the Afrikan diaspora and celebrate shared cultural roots since 2004. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
Students step onto the illuminated floor to line dance. With no lights but disco lights, the annual Blackout event never fails to bring students together through music. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
Signs welcome Black students to the night's Blackout event. All of ASU's efforts this weekend are a labor of love for the incoming class of 2029, from the biggest logistics to the smallest heartfelt decor. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
