UC Irvine School of Social Sciences

Orange County United Way and UC Irvine are partnering to launch a new homelessness cost study. The study builds on a 2017 analysis that found $299 million in annual costs and showed permanent supportive housing could cut those expenses nearly in half.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3PK3BoI

UC Irvine School of Social Sciences

Image description: A graffiti-style mural adorns the exterior of a campus building at First United Methodist Church of Costa Mesa, part of the United to End Homelessness initiative.

More than half of Americans have had a family member incarcerated, yet the system rarely asks what the research shows. University of California, Irvine professors Elizabeth Cauffman, Keramet Reiter and Kristin Turney are changing that. At an April 27 event, they shared research that is actively reshaping how California thinks about who ends up behind bars, what happens to them there, and what ripples outward to the families and communities left behind.

Learn more: https://socialecology.uci.edu/news/science-meets-justice

University of California Sociology, UC Irvine UCI School of Social Ecology

This year's UCI LIFTED cohort included 25 graduates who received a bachelor of arts in sociology with 22 also completing a minor in English. Nine earned Latin Honors. Seven were nominated for Phi Beta Kappa. Four received the Order of Merit, awarded to the top 2% of social sciences undergraduates who best exemplify academic distinction, leadership and service.

“At a time when community feels thin and frayed across the world, our LIFTED students — and everyone across multiple state institutions who supports this program — remind me again and again of the transformative power of rebuilding community together,” shared Keramet Reiter, professor of criminology, law and society and LIFTED faculty director, who has led the program since its founding.

University of California, Irvine University of California UCI Alumni Sociology, UC Irvine UCI School of Social Ecology

The 25 newest graduates of the University of California, Irvine received their degrees Wednesday in the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility as professors, deans, a state assemblyman, a Black Lives Matter co-founder and the media looked on.

The commencement ceremony is made possible through UCI LIFTED (Leveraging Inspiring Futures Through Educational Degrees), the first in-prison bachelor's degree program offered by the University of California system. https://ow.ly/2yit50Zen4e

UCI social sciences dean Bill Maurer, leadership chair of United for Financial Security of Orange County United Way, welcomed a packed house of community leaders and volunteers to the OC Free Tax Prep Volunteer & Partner Appreciation Event last Thursday at Bowers Museum. This tax season, the initiative’s 695 volunteers assisted over 15,000 OC residents recover $17M in federal and state refunds and had an overall $29M impact on Orange County.



Pictured: Maurer with OC United Way U4FS staffers. Maurer takes center stage to welcome attendees to the annual appreciation event.

University of California, Irvine University of California Orange County United Way

And congrats to our 14 UC Irvine soc sci staff who were among those honored today at the annual campus Staff Service Awards Ceremony! The event recognized employees reaching career milestones of 3, 5, 10, 20 and 25 years of service, and recipients of the Excellence in Leadership Award. The following soc sci staff members were recognized for their dedication and contributions to UC Irvine:

3 Years:
⭐️Cathy Nguyen, Financial Service Analyst, Business Office
⭐️Laura Robledo Vega, Department Analyst, Economics

5 years:
⭐️Lisa Florentes- Mullens, Assistant Director, Personnel
⭐️Fran Hom, Executive Assistant and Special Projects Manager, Dean’s Office

10 years:
⭐️Alysha Casado, Department Manager, Sociology
⭐️Andrew Pfeifroth, Systems Administrator 2, Computing Services

20 years:
⭐️Jessica Canas-Castaneda, Department Manager, Global & International Studies
⭐️Jenny Fan, Administrator, Institute for Money, Technology & Financial Inclusion
⭐️Estela Magana, Academic Advisor and PAA Supervisor, Undergraduate Studies

25 years:
⭐️Cory Castro-Wintringer, Senior Contract and Grant Analyst, Business Office
⭐️Erin DeFries, Principal Financial Analyst, Business Office
⭐️Dominic Fiorello, Applications Programmer 3, Computing Services
⭐️Debbie Michel, Center Support Manager, Office of Research

Excellence in Leadership – Well-Being Support
⭐️Jennifer Gerson, Director, Graduate Studies

Congrats to all who help continue to make UCI the place to be!

pictured: Peter the Anteater with the text, “Staff Service Awards, social sciences staff celebrated for career milestones, excellence in leadership.”

University of California, Irvine University of California Sociology, UC Irvine

Congrats to University of California, Irvine political scientists Samantha Vortherms and Adaugo Pamela Nwakanma who have been named 2026 recipients of the School of Social Sciences Dean’s Awards for Outstanding Research! Funded by the Dean's Leadership Society - a network of supporters and friends committed to the school’s success - each honor carries a $5,000 prize. Read more about their work below, and congratulations on this much deserved honor!

https://www.socsci.uci.edu/newsevents/news/2026/2026-06-16-vortherms-nwakanma-deans-awards-for-outstanding-research

University of California UCI Department of Political Science

And congrats to our newly minted Ph.D.s who were hooded by their mentors this evening! Also pictured are some of our master’s grads from Friday 🥰🎓 This concludes the commencement ceremonies for the UC Irvine School of Social Sciences and we are so excited to welcome our new graduates to our ever growing Social Sciences Alumni Network. 💛💙



pictured: UC Irvine social sciences graduates celebrate their commencement in the UCI Bren Center.

University of California, Irvine UCI Alumni UC Irvine Graduate Division UCI Chicano/Latino Studies UCI Department of Political Science Sociology, UC Irvine

💙💛 This year's graduating class includes more than 1,900 social sciences bachelor's degree recipients - more than 22% of all undergraduate degree earners at UC Irvine! Huge congrats to all of our amazing grads! We’re so proud to welcome you to our Social Sciences Anteater Alumni Network, now more than 65,000 members strong. Stay in touch and continue pursuing a future that makes the world a better place. Be bold, always break the mold, and remain boundaryless in your pursuit. 💛💙

Congratulations, Class of 2026!

University of California, Irvine UCI Alumni UCI Department of Political Science Sociology, UC Irvine UCI Chicano/Latino Studies University of California

pictured: UC Irvine social sciences students celebrate commencement in the UCI Bren Center.

💙💛 So much UCI soc sci pride! Congrats, Class of 2026! 💛💙

pictured: UC Irvine social sciences students celebrate commencement in the UCI Bren Center.

University of California, Irvine UCI Alumni Sociology, UC Irvine UCI Department of Political Science UCI Chicano/Latino Studies