Imani Elston

November 3, 2020

How has CEED helped you adjust and excel in college?

During my undergraduate studies, CEED helped me to adjust in the beginning by providing the Summer Bridge transition program which helped me start to build my community of peers as well as recognize the rigorous nature and fast-pace of the quarter system. The Academic Excellence Workshops during my first year as well as the Structured Study Nights throughout all of the years helped me to excel by providing me with resources and academic support when I took challenging courses. I think that one of the biggest challenges in college is finding an understanding network of peers and classmates who could support me both academically and socially. CEED fosters those types of networks through freshmen class clustering, collaboration with cultural engineering student organizations, and by providing professional development opportunities that allow all CEED students to grow as engineers both academically and professionally.

Was CEED a major factor in your decision to attend UCLA?

Yes! CEED was actually the deciding factor in my decision to attend UCLA. I participated in one of CEED’s pre-college programs and interacted with current CEED students who looked like me and encouraged me to pursue Engineering after high school. When I was deciding on schools, I realized that some of those same CEED students would be upperclassmen to me and could serve as informal mentors. My parents and I also liked the emphasis on community that came from both CEED students and first-year programming that would cluster me with my peers and create peer groups that would be established before the school year began. The other component of CEED that made me decide to attend UCLA was the connection to industry partners and the opportunities to develop professionally in preparation for life after college.

What are some of your favorite CEED traditions?

Some of my favorite CEED traditions are Structured Study Nights (SSN), Summer Bridge, and the pre-college outreach programs! I loved being able to meet for an uninterrupted block of time with my classmates and a tutor to study for midterms and finals during SSN (while also getting to eat some awesome food, remember the lasagna!). While Summer Bridge was definitely challenging, that was the first time I got to build community with my CEED peers and experience a taste of what the ensuing quarters would be like. I met my best friend during Bridge because she was my roommate for the 2 weeks and we would stay up late working on our various assignments! As an upperclassman, I enjoyed Bridge because of the social events and the networking with the incoming classes of freshmen and transfers. Lastly, as a former participant in CEED’s pre-college programs, I have a personal connection and love for the outreach opportunities. It’s so crucial for young Black and Brown kids to see students who look like them pursuing engineering at the collegiate level and encouraging them to pursue it as well. Whether it’s a MESA, SMASH, or other event – there is nothing that compares to seeing the enthusiasm or light turn on in the eyes of our pre-college students.

In what ways have you involved yourself with CEED beyond the classroom?

Beyond the classroom, I have involved myself with CEED through volunteering for pre-college programs and serving as an officer in one of the Tri-Org clubs, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). Every year, I volunteer for the various UCLA MESA events that are offered by CEED and thoroughly enjoy working with the students in CEED’s  pre-college programs. I also am involved in the community building/social part of CEED as a member and club officer in the Tri-Org, specifically in NSBE. Previous positions I have held are Secretary and Vice President and I currently serve as the Pre-Collegiate Initiative Chair. Through NSBE, we connect with students in the CEED community as well as Black STEM students across campus to achieve academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community. When I was a freshman, it was older NSBE members who were also CEED students that informally mentored me and still to this day give me advice about my future.

How has CEED helped you explore future career paths?

CEED has helped me to explore multiple career paths, one of which I am currently pursuing – graduate school. As a freshman, I participated in a research lab and got hands-on experience with what it is like to conduct research and present our findings. I got connected with a Professor who was in need of undergraduate research assistants to conduct field sampling. My experience in that lab not only gave me transferable laboratory skills, I also was included as a co-author in the final paper detailing the research project. This opportunity played a role in my decision to attend graduate school and pursue my Master’s Degree. Another career path that I got to explore through CEED, which I plan to follow upon completing my Master’s, is the industry career path. Events like Corporate Gamesmanship, Corporate Round Table, and other networking opportunities allowed me to learn from a variety of company representatives about the work professionals are currently doing. I also cultivated my professional development and networking skills by participating in these events. CEED alumni have also shared tips, advice, and even opportunities with me – which I found extremely valuable in my search for internships during my undergraduate studies.

Are there any other fun facts about yourself that you would like to share?

Some fun facts about me:

• I started coming to UCLA through CEED’s pre-college program SMASH as a 9th grader in 2012, so while this is my 6th year as an official student (5 for undergrad, 1 for grad), it’s almost my 9th year being involved in CEED. [Cathy Douglas, the Interim Director has known me for almost half my life!!]
• I was the 2020 Commencement Speaker for the School of Engineering!
• The importance of volunteering and giving back to my community comes from my parents but was further bolstered by my involvement with CEED.
• I held research and/or engineering internships for every summer of my undergraduate!
• I’ve gone backpacking on an active volcano (Mount Rainier, Washington).