CAC PEER COUNSELORS

College Academic Counseling (CAC) Peer Counselors are undergraduate students in the College of Letters & Science who are trained to support students with questions about academic policies, deadlines, referrals, petitions, GE and degree requirements, the process for declaring majors and minors, tutoring resources, pre-health requirements, and program planning.  CAC Peer Counselors also manage and contribute to the CAC social media initiatives by creating content for the CAC Facebook  and Instagram  pages, and CAC YouTube Channel .

How to Meet with a CAC Peer Counselor

Currently, students can meet with CAC Peer Counselors on a drop-in basis during REACH Virtual Drop-in Advising Hours:

  • Monday – Friday 10am – 3pm

Students can also meet CAC Peer Counselors during some of the College Academic Counseling quarterly workshops, and campus-wide events such as Major Blast, and Bruin Day.

*Please note that CAC Peer Counselors are not available during University holidays, intersession, or summer. 

CAC Peer Counselor Workshops

Pre-Med 101 Workshops
To support pre-health students, CAC Peer Counselors have created and host “Premed 101: A Guide to Being Pre-Med at UCLA” where students learn about the medical school admissions criteria, required prerequisite coursework, MCAT, pre-health resources on campus, and more. The Pre-Med 101 workshop is generally offered Fall quarter sometime during weeks 5 – 8.

Other Workshops
CAC Peer Counselors have also offered other workshops such as How to Get Involved in Research and supported other CAC workshops (e.g., Enrollment workshop, Graduation and Beyond) in the past.

Please stay updated about our workshop details and schedule by following us on our CAC Instagram and Facebook  page!

Cyndi Ichinose

Cyndi Ichinose

CAC Peer Counselor Coordinator

Anela

Hi!  My name is Anela and I am a fourth-year student majoring in Business Economics.  I’m from the Coachella Valley and I love reading, baking and trying new foods in my free time!  I’m so excited to answer all your questions this year!

Cathy

Hi everyone! My name is Cathy, and I am a 4th-year Biochemistry major with an Asian American
Studies Minor.  I am deeply interested in research and healthcare.  Currently, I am involved in research at
DGSOM while pursuing phlebotomy.  I love to cafe-hop, pet every animal I see in public, try different
foods (HUGE foodie alert), and spending time with loved ones.  I am super excited to be a Peer Counselor
this year and even more excited to meet you all and support you in your academic journey!

Giselle

Hi! I am Giselle, and I am from the Bay Area.  I am a fourth-year transfer student, majoring in
Sociology with a minor in Chicano Studies.  In my free time, I enjoy watching sports, listening to music,
and reading.  I am excited to join the CAC peer counseling team and look forward to supporting our
Bruins.

Giselle

Hello everyone!  My name is Giselle, and I am a 3rd-year double majoring in Sociology and Labor
Studies.  I am from Westlake, Los Angeles, California, and I am a first-generation Latina who carries her
Mexican roots with pride.  I love dancing, trying new dessert places, and spending time with family.
Navigating college can be challenging, but I sincerely hope that I can be of great help to everyone and
have a positive influence on your UCLA adventure!

Jessica

Hi!  My name is Jessica Ma, and I’m a second-year student majoring in Psychobiology and pursuing a
minor in Global Health.  On campus, I’m involved in clubs related to medicine and public health as well as
volunteering at Ronald Reagan.  I’m addicted to visiting cute cafes and enjoying good food, so I’m always
open to new recommendations!  I’m excited to meet you all and hope to support you on your academic
journey this year.

Juliana

Hello!  My name is Juliana, and I am a third-year Physiological Science major and Gerontology minor.
I am from Los Angeles, California and enjoy swimming, traveling, and going to the beach!  I look forward
to supporting my fellow UCLA students as a Peer Counselor this year

Kaiya

Hi!  My name is Kaiya and I’m a 3rd-year Public Health major, pursuing a minor in African American
Studies.  I’m excited to be a new peer counselor!  I’ve done peer counseling in high school, and I’m so
excited to continue helping others.  When I’m not studying I love to play video games, read, listen to
music, and play/watch volleyball (even if I’m not the best at it!).  I’m here to help however I can so don’t
hesitate to reach out or ask questions!

Karina

Hi everyone!  My name is Karina and I am a 4th-year student majoring in Sociology with a minor in
Spanish.  I am from San Luis Obispo, CA, about 3 hours north from LA.  On my free-time, I like going on
thrift runs with friends and reading or binge watching shows.  I understand the struggles that come with
being a student, so I aim to assist as many of you as I can with questions related to your academic goals
to the best of my ability.  I’m excited to meet you all this year and help you navigate UCLA!

Kenneth

Hi!  I’m Kenneth and I am a third-year psychobiology major with interests in the medical field.  At
UCLA, I am involved in the Student Stroke Team where I participate in clinical research with stroke
patients and also volunteer as a learning assistant for the Chemistry 14A and 14B classes.  In my free
time, I enjoy going to the gym, traveling, trying new food spots, and hiking.  I look forward to working as
a CAC Peer Counselor and can’t wait to support fellow students as they navigate their UCLA journey.

Lana

Hi, my name is Lana and this is my second year being a Peer Counselor.  A few fun facts about me:
I’m a 3rd year Psychobiology major and Global Health minor, I was pre-med before shifting toward
public health and policy, the inspiration behind my minor, and my favorite color right now is light blue.
I’m excited to see all the new students on REACH and wish everyone the best for the next academic
year!

Maya

Hi everyone!  My name is Maya and I’m a fourth-year Physiological Sciences major on the pre-PT
track, with a big passion for sports medicine.  When I’m not geeking out over anatomy, you can usually
find me in the gym lifting, vibing to some music, getting creative with painting, or adventuring around LA
with my friends.  I’m so excited to be one of your CAC peer counselors this year and look forward to
supporting you in navigating your academic journeys!

Regina

Hi guys!  My name is Regina, and I am a second year Psychology Major who is also interested in
pursuing a Brain and Behavioral Health minor.  I was born and raised in California’s central coast, and
grew up loving and playing soccer.  In my free time, I love to paint, read, listen to music, or binge shows
and movies on streaming platforms.  I’m so happy to be a CAC Peer Counselor!  I hope to provide you
guys with the support you need and help you on your academic journeys here at UCLA as a Bruin!

Shannon

Hi everyone!  I’m Shannon, a fourth year physiological sciences major with interests in medicine and
public health.  Outside of peer counseling, I’m involved in patient caseworking, nutrition & fitness
education, and epilepsy research.  I also love to read, bake, go to the beach, and find new ways to be
active.  I’m excited to support you all in your academic journeys!

Steven

Hello!  I’m Steven, a 3rd-year Psychobiology major on the Pre-PA track.  Outside of academics, I enjoy
traveling, spending time with family and friends, and going to concerts and music festivals.  I’m excited to
serve as a peer counselor this year and look forward to supporting you as you navigate UCLA!

Veronica

Hi everyone!  I am Veronica, a fourth year (second year transfer) double majoring in Sociology and
Chicano and Central American Studies.  I am super excited to be your Peer Counselor this upcoming
academic year.  A little about me: I love to embrace my culture (Mexican American), hang out with my
friends and do some physical activity.  Please come and ask any questions.  I am more than happy to work
together and talk about your academic goals.

Victoria

Hi everyone!  I’m Victoria, and I am a fourth-year Biochemistry major with a minor in Society and
Genetics.  Outside of my academics, you’ll often find me running, exploring the outdoors, or playing
pickleball.  I’m excited to help you make the most of your UCLA experience!

Yitao

Hi!  My name is Yitao and I’m from the Bay Area.  I’m a senior majoring in Cognitive Science and
minoring in Linguistics and Stats/Data Science.  I enjoy thrifting, making music, and exploring the
outdoors.  In the future, I hope to pursue a career in project management and language processing.  I’m
excited to join the CAC Peer Counseling team this upcoming year!