ICS News Archive

Brian Bulgarelli (he/him/his)
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Informatics
Year: 3rd

Could you share a couple of fun facts about yourself?
I'm ambidextrous! I was born left-handed but I taught myself to write with my right hand while my roommate taught himself to write with his left hand.

Why did you decide to become a peer academic advisor?
I wanted to become a PAA because I really like helping other students out! I didn't know about the Peer Academic Advising program my first year, so I had to find out a lot of the information myself, especially for stuff like enrollment information and campus resources. One of the main reasons why I wanted to become a PAA was because I wanted to help other students utilize the resources that I found so incredibly helpful.

What has been your favorite part of being a peer academic advisor so far?
My favorite part has been helping out students during the drop-in Zoom hours. I think this has been my favorite part of the job so far because it's the most interactive part of the job and, even though it's virtual, it's nice to help out students live.

What do you hope to accomplish in this role?
One thing that I really look forward to is being able to reach out and interact more with the ICS student community, whether it is through informational sessions or during advising sessions.

Isaiah Raya (he/him/his)
Major: Computer Science
Year: 3rd

Could you share a couple of fun facts about yourself?
A fun fact about me is that I love collecting things especially things from pop culture like movies or video games. Some of my collections that are closest to my heart are my graphic tee, Amiibo, and vinyl collections. I love displaying them and talking to others with similar interests!

Why did you decide to become a peer academic advisor?
I decided to become a peer academic advisor because I wanted to help undergraduate students, like myself, navigate the college process and provide resources to those students. I also wanted to be more connected to the school and the community and I saw the role as a peer academic advisor as perfect for accomplishing that!

What has been your favorite part of being a peer academic advisor so far?
My favorite part of being a peer academic advisor so far has been interacting with the students whether that be at the annual commencement or through Zoom appointments. I really enjoy helping students and seeing them leave happier than when they came. It makes me feel that the peer academic advisor is an essential and positive role in the UC Irvine community.

What do you hope to accomplish in this role?
I hope to learn more about my school and its students. I also hope to expand my social skills and leadership through communication and assisting in student events.

Audrey Brooke Shi (she/her/hers)
Majors: Computer Science and Sociology
Year: 4th

Could you share a couple of fun facts about yourself?
I paint shoes and water bottles in my free time! I mainly do Vans, Air Force 1s and Hydro Flasks. I'm also a skincare/makeup junkie on the side!

Why did you decide to become a peer academic advisor?
I wanted to share the knowledge I have accumulated in the past four years. Navigating college is not easy and it's even harder when you try to do a double major with an active social life. Plus, I think giving advice is fun and I didn't want to regret not doing anything for my last year.

What has been your favorite part of being a peer academic advisor so far?
Peer advisor drop-in hours! They started in the past week and you can come during our active hours and talk to us! Don't be scared, we're really nice. You'll see a waiting room when you come in and just chill in there until we get to you. I love hearing voices and being able to talk in a 1-on-1 session.

What do you hope to accomplish in this role?
To leave a mark on another student or on campus. Even if it's something tiny, I want to leave the role feeling like I helped at least somebody out.

Anne Wang (she/her/hers)
Major: Computer Science and Engineering (CSE)
Year: 4th

Could you share a couple of fun facts about yourself?
I can eat 2-3 pounds of grapes in one day, I love anything matcha green tea, and I really enjoy any team sports.

Why did you decide to become a peer academic advisor?
When I was a freshman, I needed a lot of help organizing my schedule since there were so many CSE requirements. I had a really great friend who was a peer and also CSE, and she gave me so much insight about my schedule. Since then, I had wanted to be there for other students the way she was there for me.

What has been your favorite part of being a peer academic advisor so far?
My favorite part of being a peer academic advisor is definitely the drop-in hours! I really enjoy talking and helping students, whether it’s giving them more insight on certain classes to take, any on-campus/internship opportunities, or anything else that is on their minds. It’s definitely more interactive and personal, so I’m really looking forward to that the rest of the year too.

What do you hope to accomplish in this role?
In my role, I’m really hoping to provide mentorship or guidance in which classes to take and guide students toward a better track. It definitely helps to have someone share their insight so I’m hoping that people feel more confident in their classes as they progress through their college career.