AAP's 50th Anniversary

This year marks the Academic Advancement Program’s (AAP) 50th anniversary. As a community, we are celebrating five decades of innovative academic programming for first-generation, low-income and historically underrepresented students at UCLA. AAP leads the campus in providing access and resources for Black, Indigenous, Students of Color (BISOC), and over the years has served 60,000+ UCLA undergraduate students in pursuit of academic excellence. AAP has proven vital in UCLA’s mission to strive for excellence and diversity, recognizing that openness and inclusion produce true quality.

To close out this milestone celebration, we invite students, staff, parents, alumni, and friends to come together and raise a historic $100,000.

Recognized as one of the “most creative, successful, and innovative” student retention programs in the country, AAP graduates the highest percentage of historically underrepresented students in the UC system and California State University System. 

As the nation’s largest university-based student diversity academic program – AAP offers a collection of innovative programs annually serving on average 5,000 student members from multi-ethnic, low-income, first-generation, and multi-racial backgrounds. AAP leads the campus in supporting these students at every stage with comprehensive programming and resources including scholarships, emergency funds to meet the current needs of students, and peer counselors who offer mental health resources. The successful integration of the program's three-fold mission strengthens their commitment to access, equity, and excellence. After 50 years, AAP continues to be a home for students with assistance from a built-in and trusting community- a safe space for those that need it most.

When you come together in shared purpose with the AAP community, we can ensure a source of funding in perpetuity, allowing AAP to continue leading the globe in diversity efforts. Your gift of any size will make all the difference.

This year's campaign will focus on three critical priorities. Each priority plays a large role in helping AAP students make the transition back to campus, providing them with the resources they need to be successful and cope with change. 

Student Support

AAP awards scholarships to students based on financial need and academic merit, bridging the gap between typical levels of financial aid and the cost of attendance. AAP scholarships allow recipients to focus on learning, achieve greater academic success, and participate more fully in the academic, cultural and research activities of campus life. AAP scholarships enable students who would otherwise be unable to attend a top-tier university to achieve their dreams of academic excellence. In this way, scholarships represent an investment in future generations of citizens, scholars and leaders. 

Peer Counselors and Mental Heath

AAP Peer Counselors (PCs) are not only a friendly face to fellow AAP students, but they are properly trained through a curriculum that prepares them to address issues and challenges that students share with them. This allows PCs to appropriately respond and create a plan of action including seeking out additional campus resources for whatever they need, including mental health. The diverse makeup of peer counselors provides a trusting and familiar environment for AAP students seeking assistance and shared perspectives and experiences. Students are sometimes more willing to share mental health struggles with their fellow peers, making it crucial that AAP has enough PCs to support the community.

Emergency Funds

AAP provides financial relief during times of need to help students remain enrolled and continue successfully with their education. This includes helping with the cost of technology needs, textbooks and even groceries. The past year and a half has especially highlighted the reliance on technology for educational purposes. Students still face challenges getting easy access to computers, printers and reliable internet even as campus opens up. Having a robust emergency fund can help AAP address these ongoing technological needs. 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE UCLA FOUNDATION'S DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS FOR DONORS.

Should this fund reach the campus minimum required for the establishment of an endowment or quasi-endowment, The UCLA Foundation reserves the right to convert this fund to an endowment or quasi-endowment.  Please click here to learn more about how The UCLA Foundation invests and manages its endowments.