The UMEC Student Leadership Club (SLC) is an undergraduate club founded in Spring 2018 that consists of student leaders who volunteer with the UMEC. The SLC is an undergraduate-led division of UMEC, providing dedicated and passionate individuals the opportunities to lead specialized committees, address issues, develop projects, and expand UMEC's mission of providing free vision care to underserved communities around Los Angeles. Furthermore, the SLC also aims to shape members into future leaders in healthcare and/or nonprofit organizations.
In Fall 2018, UMEC SLC was awarded the prestigious 2018 Mongelli Award for Excellence in Civic Engagement, which recognizes innovative, inspiring, and impactful projects organized by student organizations. In just this past year alone, UMEC SLC has raised nearly $20,000 through various grants and community fundraisers to help support and improve patient care. This accomplishment honors undergraduate leaders dedicated to service and values the hard work and passion of students who are upholding the True Bruin Value of Service. To read more about UMEC SLC's Mongelli Award, click here for the full article.
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Winnie Liu is currently a fourth year Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology major with a minor in Biomedical Research at UCLA. She has been with UMEC since her freshman year - Summer 2017. She began volunteering because of her passion for providing accessible medical care to the underserved Los Angeles population. Since then, she has realized the importance of vision care since it is a commonly overlooked but often chronic and critical issue quality of life. Outside of UMEC, Winnie is heavily involved as co-president of the UCLA iGEM research team, coordinator for EMRA (Emergency Medicine Research Associates) at UCLA Ronald Reagan Hospital, and researcher in the Memarzadeh Lab studying platinum-based chemotherapy resistant ovarian cancer. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career as a physician. During her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball, graphic designing for the Daily Bruin, and spending time with her two Pomeranians.
Shannon Tseng is currently a fourth year biology major and public health minor at UCLA. Drawn by its mission to provide accessible and compassionate care for the underserved, Shannon joined UMEC in Summer 2017. She later co-founded UMEC SLC with her peers in Spring 2018 in an effort to strengthen the volunteer program while creating student leadership opportunities that emphasize the ideals of initiative, ownership, and collaboration rather than competition. Outside of UMEC, Shannon can be found watching crime shows, attempting to tailor her clothing, or conducting research and practicing Mandarin with her labmates at UCLA's California NanoSystems Institute.
Jessica is a fourth year Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Major at UCLA. She started volunteering for UMEC in her freshman year because of her interest in ophthalmology and passionfor providing free vision care to the underserved populations in LA. She enjoys learning from and working with the staff and volunteers at UMEC and hopes to expand her knowledge of public health and vision care as SLC's vice president. Outside of volunteering at UMEC, Jessica enjoys conducting research, participating in other student service organizations, being a part of UCLA's Grace on Campus, and playing piano.
Tarin Tanji recently graduated from UCLA with a B.S. in Human Biology and Society. She joined UMEC in her junior year due to her interests in ophthalmology and volunteering with underserved communities. The knowledge and experience she gained as an intern at UMEC inspired her to pursue a career in public health and medicine. As a returning board member, she hopes to continue securing funding for supplies used at UMEC’s health fairs and clinics.
Jessie Chen is a fourth year Physiological Science major originally from San Jose, California. Volunteering at UMEC has furthered her passion for helping others and learning more about healthcare and ophthalmology. She has learned so much during her time with UMEC and hope to learn much more and give back to the organization that has given her so much. Besides UMEC, she also is a member of Asian Pacific Health Corps (APHC) and is part of the Bruin Run/Walk Committee.
Samira Torna is a 3rd year Human Biology and Society B.S. student. She loves enjoying ramen, dumplings, and gyros with friends as they explore new places in LA. She has always had a passion for helping people, leading her to join UMEC as a freshman. UMEC galvanized her passion for community health and sparked her drive to provide better healthcare to underserved communities through being a physician. Samira now works as an internal development chair for TEACH UCLA and as a research intern at Cedar-Sinai Medical Center.
Francis Arellano is a 3rd year student at UCLA, pursuing a B.S. in Biochemistry and a minor in Biomedical Research. He joined UMECduring his 2nd year because he wanted to direct his focus to underserved communities of Los Angeles and be able to help others achieve accessible eye care. Apart from UMEC, he conducts research and volunteers with other service organizations on campus. He also enjoys staying active by playing volleyball and fencing. After graduation, his goal is to attend medical school to become a doctor.
Jack Martinyan is currently a third year Psychobiology major at UCLA. He began volunteering with UMEC to aid in providing much needed vision care to disadvantaged communities across the Los Angeles county. Outside of UMEC, he is involved in the retinal developmental neurobiology lab and clinical glaucoma advanced imaging laboratory at the Jules Stein Eye Institute. His aspirations involve the field of ophthalmology, as he hopes to improve vision care and education as a future physician. Jack also enjoys playing basketball, tutoring kids at the local community college, and hiking with friends over the weekend.
