Prospective IDEA Scholars
Watch this recording of our recent IDEA Scholars Information Session for an inside look at the benefits of participating in the IDEA Scholars program and tips to make your application stand out!
Application Deadline Extended to May 22, 2022. Apply Now!
In order to apply for the IDEA Scholars program, students must apply to the Summer Engineering Institute (SEI). If offered admission to the IDEA Scholars program, students must participate in SEI. The deadline to apply for the IDEA Scholars and SEI programs has been extended to May 22nd. Applications for the IDEA Scholars is a one-time window. Applications are not open to students in their second year and beyond.
Visit the Summer Engineering Institute website for more information about SEI and to access the application form.
For questions about the IDEA Scholars Program, contact: ideascholars@ucsd.edu
IDEA Scholar Achievements
Admitted into Graduate Programs at
Other Achievements
Academic/Research
- Churchill Scholars
- McNair Scholars
- Gilman Scholars
- California Louis Stokes Minority Alliance Scholarship (CAMP)
- TRELS Quarterly, Summer, and International
- Summer EnVision Experience (SEE)
- UC Leads
- Purdue (University) Summer Research Fellowship
- Cornell University Summer Research Fellowship
Student Leadership
- Triton Engineering Student Council (TESC)
- Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
- Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
- American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
- Students for Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS)
- Triton Racing
- Rocket Propulsion Laboratory (RPL)
- Engineers without Borders
About the Program
The goal of the Jacobs School's IDEA Scholars Program is to foster community building and academic excellence among our top incoming freshman engineering students from diverse backgrounds. As an IDEA Scholar, you will join a select group of students who will serve as ambassadors for the Jacobs School throughout your time at UC San Diego.
- Started 2011
- 180 Current Participants
- 195 Alumni
- IDEA Scholars graduate with an engineering degree at a higher rate than Jacobs School students
- 2011 cohort: 77% graduation rate (23% higher than retention rate among engineering freshmen from underrepresented student groups who were admitted at the same time, and were not IDEA Scholars)
- 2012 cohort: 74% graduation rate (14% higher than retention rate among engineering freshmen from underrepresented student groups who were admitted at the same time, and were not IDEA Scholars)
Key Benefits of being an IDEA Scholar Include
- Priority Access to Scholarship Applications
- Priority registration for Engineering Learning Communities
- Mentoring from Jacobs School Students, Alumni and Faculty
- Personal, Professional and Leadership Development Opportunities
- Involvement in a Fostered Engineering Community
- Networking Opportunities with Engineering Companies
- IDEA Scholar Medal Upon Graduation
Current IDEA Scholars
SEI 2020
Alan Espinosa: Computer Engineering (ECE)
Allison Moya: Electrical Engineering
Ann Truong: Electrical Engineering
Arna Tayal: Chemical Engineering
Bernice Angelene Lozada: Bioengineering
Blake Johnson: Aerospace Engineering
Brigette Hacia: Computer Engineering (ECE)
Capalina Melentyev: Bioengineering: Biotechnology
Chloe Leung: Structural Engineering
Eduardo Perez: Aerospace Engineering
Guang Liu: Engineering Physics
Isha Deshmukh: Bioengineering: Biotechnology
Jacinda Martinez: Bioengineering
Jaden Cramlet: Nanoengineering
Jason Li: Computer Engineering (ECE)
Jason Tuermer-Lee: Chemical Engineering
Joanna Yang: Computer Science
Joanne Low: Mechanical Engineering
Jolene Fan: Mechanical Engineering
Kaylana Nickels: Electrical Engineering
Kira Tran: Computer Engineering (ECE)
Lauren Nguyen: Computer Engineering (ECE)
Madison Tigbao: Structural Engineering
Mary Melarkey: Chemical Engineering
May Ann Dimalanta: Aerospace Engineering
Michael Herrera: Electrical Engineering
Mikaeel Punja: Mechanical Engineering
Myra Ashraf: Bioengineering
Natahly Frias: Computer Science
Nikitha Kalahasti: Bioengineering
Osinachi Okere: Electrical Engineering
Priscilla Nguyen: Aerospace Engineering
Rebecca Wong: Electrical Engineering
Rosi Vera: Structural Engineering
Ruchi Kamboj: Bioengineering: Bioinformatics
Sabrina Chang Liao: Chemical Engineering
Sarah Chittle: Bioengineering
Shanessa Siddique: Bioengineering: Bioinformatics
Tianjun Li: Nanoengineering
Valli Nachiappan: Computer Engineering (ECE)
Victor Escalante: Aerospace Engineering
Wan-Hsuan (Sharon) Lin: Nanoengineering
William Zhang: Electrical Engineering
Zach Zhong: Computer Science
SEI 2019
Alondra Pureco: Mechanical Engineering
Aman Arora: Computer Engineering
Andrea Lopez: Mechanical Engineering
Aurelio Perez: Chemical Engineering
Chi Chow: Computer Engineering
Christopher Vu: Computer Engineering
Daniel Pak: Computer Engineering
Eve Gedminas: Environmental Engineering
Fadi Shaba: Mechanical Engineering
Faith Edrosolano: Mechanical Engineering
Gabrielle Graak: Aerospace Engineering
Jason Win: Computer Engineering
Jonathan Padungyothee: Computer Engineering
Justin Torres Verduzco: Mechanical Engineering
Kaitlyn Strandberg: Bioengineering: BioSystems
Kaitlyn Wong: Mechanical Engineering
Laurence D'Ercole: Computer Science
Liam Fernandez: Computer Engineering
Lisbeth Borbonio: Structural Engineering
Milena Salazar: Structural Engineering
Mitchell Nuckols: Electrical Engineering
Natalia Bautista: Environmental Engineering
Natalia Berrios Rivera: Mechanical Engineering
Nicholas Krolikowski: Computer Science
Noah Verdegan: Computer Science
Obadiah Valdez: Mechanical Engineering
Ricardo Guerrero: Computer Science
Rosemary Bugayong: Computer Engineering
Sean Malinis: Structural Engineering
Sebastian Ongko: Computer Science
Sonika Ram: Computer Science
Stephen Burt: Structural Engineering
Susanna He: Computer Science
Tien Nguyen: Aerospace Engineering
Trisa Leung: Computer Science
Trisha Ahuja: Bioengineering (Biotechnology)
Veronica Ho: Computer Engineering
Wei Ji Chen: Bioengineering
SEI 2018
Angela Ito: Electrical Engineering
April Tran: Structural Engineering
Arun Chumber: Chemical Engineering
Candelario Caldera: Electrical Engineering
Carl Villegas: Electrical Engineering
Daniel Loya: Structural Engineering
David He: Electrical Engineering
Derek Chen: Electrical Engineering
Elizabeth Nelson: Aerospace Engineering
Felipe Bailon: Engineering Physics
Francesca Muto: Chemical Engineering
Guillermo Nogueira: Environmental Engineering
Heily Monterroso: Mechanical Engineering
Hridayanand Khemchandani: Chemical Engineering
Isabelle Del Rios: Chemical Engineering
Jacob Lopez: Electrical Engineering
Jake Hotchkiss: Chemical Engineering
Jared Gadia: Chemical Engineering
Jason Isa: Electrical Engineering
Jeffrey Yang: Computer Engineering
Jennifer Hernandez-Mora: Environmental Engineering
Jesse Garcia de Alva: Electrical Engineering
Jonathan Trang: Electrical Engineering
Jonathan Venegas: Electrical Engineering
Julianna Quinn: Structural Engineering
Kanksha Patel: Bioengineering (Biotechnology)
Karina Plasencia: Environmental Engineering
Kayla Lara: Structural Engineering
Kris Li: Structural Engineering
Kyra Hulse: Bioengineering (Bioinformatics)
Lysander Zepeda: Structural Engineering
Mark Chavez: Structural Engineering
Matthew Gao: Aerospace Engineering
Mayci Marquardt: Chemical Engineering
Michael Maddy: Computer Engineering
Michelle Singer: Chemical Engineering
Oswah Sarwar: Chemical Engineering
Pedro Suchite: Computer Engineering
Rafael Arteaga: Chemical Engineering
Roberto Medina: Mechanical Engineering
Samantha Long: Electrical Engineering
Samuel Figueroa: Nanoengineering
Sicong Duan: Electrical Engineering
Unduwap Kandage: Computer Engineering
Van Nguyen: Pre-Engineering Physics
William Lopez: Mechanical Engineering
Xiaoye Zuo: Electrical Engineering
SEI 2017
Abraham Roberto Mendez Castro: Structural Engineering
Alberto Avalos: NanoEngineering
Alberto Quintana Jaquez: Aerospace Engineering
Amanda Nicole Breton: Bioengineering: BioSystems
Andrew Timothy Campion: NanoEngineering
Antoine Abidaid Serrano: Aerospace Engineering
Brandon Eduardo Hernandez Pacheco: Bioengineering: BioSystems
Candice Nicole Mallari: Mechanical Engineering
Catlynn Duc Nguyen: Mechanical Engineering
Cindy Alberto: Mechanical Engineering
Dana Mayumi Tajiri: Electrical Engineering
David Bruno Collin: Structural Engineering
Destiny Angelica Alvarado: Electrical Engineering
Diego Alonso Ramos: Electrical Engineering
Dylan Taylor Perlson: Electrical Engineering
Edward Banuelos: Bioengineering: BioSystems
Iris Ela Nayki: Computer Engineering
Isaac Rincon: Electrical Engineering
Jason Robert Rosas: Mechanical Engineering
Jesus Villalvazo Fausto: Electrical Engineering
Jonathan Joshua Zhang: Aerospace Engineering
Jose Jorge Jimenez-Olivas: Computer Engineering
Joseph George Murad: Mechanical Engineering
Julia T Doan: Environmental Engineering
Larisa Deli: Structural Engineering
Laura Gutierrez: Environmental Engineering
Luis Ruben Garcia: Mechanical Engineering
Madilyn Kaly Mcdougall: Aerospace Engineering
Martyn Albrecht Granados Lizarraga: Mechanical Engineering
Matthew Alberto Uitz: Aerospace Engineering
Maya Lynn Parish: Bioengineering
Melissa Liann Pante: Aerospace Engineering
Minghua Ong: Bioengineering: BioSystems
Priscila Garcia Estrada: Structural Engineering
Rachel Kathryn Oelsner: Environmental Engineering
Sidney Yin Huen: Mechanical Engineering
Stephanie Lily Mountain: Chemical Engineering
Summer Joyce Batasin: Bioengineering: BioSystems
Tanmay Shetye: Chemical Engineering
Taylor Stephanie Walsh: Structural Engineering
Trent Sebastian Wiley: Structural Engineering
Tyler Marshall Theroith-Fraser: Mechanical Engineering
Valentina Veloz: Bioengineering: BioSystems
Vicente Elihu Lopez Espinosa: Mechanical Engineering
Xochilth Saldana: Environmental Engineering
Alumni
Summer PrEP 2015
Aparna Rangamani: Computer Science
Azusena Jimenez: Aerospace Engineering
Carlos Galaviz: Structural Engineering
Daisy Rios: Environmental Engineering
Elizabeth Farkas: Computer Engineering (CSE)
Emanual Kasegne: Structural Engineering
Emmanuel Antonio: Nanoengineering
Farouq Fardan: Electrical Engineering
Gisel Lopez: Bioengineering
Ivan Ibarra: Bioengineering
Jackelyn Sanchez: Aerospace Engineering
Jocelyn Valencia: Environmental Engineering
Karla Aceves: Aerospace Engineering
Manuel Gonzalez: Aerospace Engineering
Michael Schnabel: Electrical Engineering
Phoebe Contreras-Jones: Electrical Engineering
Rizelle Capanzana: Chemical Engineering
Yohann Samarasinghe: Nanoengineering
Summer PrEP 2016
Abhiram Iyer: Computer Engineering (ECE)
Adrianna Stopol: Mechanical Engineering
Aliana Sonza: Structural Engineering
Arielle Yoo: Bioengineering: Bioinformatics
Briana Paredes: Mechanical Engineering
Bryan Thai: Bioengineering
Carlos Ajanel: Structural Engineering
Christian Schwieterman: Structural Engineering
Christopher Bayag: Mechanical Engineering
Cyrus Shen: Electrical Engineering
Daniel Martinez: Nanoengineering
Gabriel Davalos: Aerospace Engineering
Gabriel Gutierrez: Structural Engineering
Gabriel Shatkin: Bioengineering (Biotechnology)
Grant Way: Biomedical Engineering: Biotechnology
Haozhan Li: Electrical Engineering
Harrison (Wei) Li: Bioengineering
Hongru Yu: Bioengineering: Bioinformatics
Hugo Moctezuma Andraca: Mechanical Engineering
Jacinth philemon Gudetti: Computer Engineering (ECE)
Jasmine Ng: Mechanical Engineering
Jennifer Coates: Mechanical Engineering
Jennifer MacAulay: Structural Engineering
Jeremy Browne: Mechanical Engineering
Jessica Sanchez: Structural Engineering
Joshua Wang: Nanoengineering
Justin Hover: Bioengineering
Karie Madrid: Environmental Engineering
Kieu Huynh: Mechanical Engineering
Kimberly Fajardo: Aerospace Engineering
Leigh Sena: Mechanical Engineering
Martina Mitose: Chemical Engineering
Matt Nakpawan: Mechanical Engineering
Minghui Zhao: Electrical Engineering
Nhadea Lensky: Chemical Engineering
Sabrina Calzada: NanoEngineering
Salvador Ramirez: Structural Engineering
Samantha Fong: Environmental Engineering
Saul Martinez: Structural Engineering
Skye Edwards: Bioengineering (Biotechnology)
Weginbara Youpele: Electrical Engineering
Yayi Guo: Environmental Engineering