The VIP Scholars Program provides mentors at 11 high schools in Los Angeles and Pasadena Unified School Districts. Mentors are current UCLA students who:

• Motivate students to consider UCLA for undergraduate and graduate careers
  
• Share their personal experiences as UCLA students
  
• Increase awareness regarding admissions, program opportunities and financial aid
  
• Assist in increasing the number of underrepresented (primarily African American) students eligible, applying, and admitted to UCLA
  

Rabiia Abdul-Ali, a 4th year senior at UCLA, is a proud mother of three. She is majoring in African-American Studies and plans to pursue a graduate degree in African-American Studies and Law. She is a believer in educational equity and an advocate for building access to higher education.

James Aboagye attended Rialto High School. Majoring in Biology, he hopes to pursue a career in medicine with a concentration in Pediatrics. As a Ghanaian American, he feels that his background deeply influenced the person he is today. The Ghanaian culture developed an urge within James to help people in any way he can. With this perspective, he began his mentorship to guarantee that those who lack knowledge about getting an education have the opportunity to do see with his help.

D'Juan Farmer is a student at UCLA who plans to attend medical school and get his masters in Public Health. Raised in Compton, D'Juan developed a passion for helping students seek higher education after witnessing the numerous possibilities a degree can create. After being introduced to the program during summer vacation, he began to work as a part of the program to provide entrance to underrepresented students who may not get that opportunity otherwise.

Shoshana Freeman-Cohen, 21, is a political science major who transferred to UCLA from Pasadena City College. She is enjoying her education at UCLA and hopes to encourage Muir High School students in Pasadena to consider UCLA.

Neshemah Keetin, a 5th year senior majoring in Sociology with a minor in African-American Studies, is a mentor with VIP Scholars at Hamilton High School, helping them to plan out a strong academic schedule and try to address and identify potential roadblocks that may hinder them in accomplishing their goals. She finds being a peer advisor very important because she can relate to the difficulties in trying to access a higher education; however, having someone who understands her situation was definitely helpful in encouraging her to apply to more competitive schools. In the near future, she hopes to pursue a degree in Education focusing on Social Justice/Equality and Counseling. She is very social and interactive and enjoys meeting new people.

Krystle Evans, a freshman, is majoring in Political Science with a minor in Education. She played basketball for twelve years. She graduated from Crenshaw High School. She decided to go to UCLA over UC Berkeley so she could be the voice that encourages other students from "inner-city" high schools, to apply to UCLA. Krystle is the mentor at Crenshaw High School. She stresses the importance of graduating from high school with options, so students of color do not feel they must depend on sports or the Navy in order to go to college.