Photos by Erik Jepsen/UC San Diego Publications

Your Help is Needed during Triton Days to Inspire Admitted Students and Families

Representatives from the undergraduate colleges, academic departments and programs, student support services, student organizations and extracurricular/enrichment programs are requested to sign up by March 9

From learning to grow food sustainably at Roger’s Garden to overnight programs for underrepresented students to lab tours featuring plant defense responses (and insect spit!), the campus is putting out the welcome mat on April 4 for Triton Day, and May 9 for Transfer Triton Day. How important are these days? By offering an interesting, informative and interactive visit for 25,000 admitted students and their families, UC San Diego hopes to inspire prospective students to sign their Statement of Intent to Register to attend our campus in fall 2015.

“This will be my first year participating in Triton Days, but it’s really important as students are making decisions about college that they know there is a diverse set of program studies available that can enhance their collegiate experience,” said Mya Hines, program coordinator, African American Studies Minor. “Student outreach and student engagement are critical components in overall student success, and these events allow programs like the African American Studies Minor access to students to help demonstrate why UC San Diego is a good fit for their collegiate and career goals.”

Triton Days bring the campus community together to showcase UC San Diego. The daylong events will allow admitted students to explore the full range of opportunities available at UC San Diego. Representatives from the undergraduate colleges, academic departments and programs, student support services, student organizations and extracurricular/enrichment programs will offer prospective students a glimpse into their future as members of the Triton family.

Here’s just a sampling of the broad range of efforts and activities that will be offered during both Triton Day and Transfer Triton Day.

• Lisa Linares , Student Veteran Benefits Coordinator, Registrar’s Office “We’ll be sharing a table with the Student Veteran Organization and Student Veteran Resource Center. We plan to answer all questions pertaining to students who are military-affiliated … everything from resources, activities, benefits and everything in between. We want to make sure that our military-affiliated perspective students understand and realize that we are a military friendly campus, and that we have a lot available to assist them.”
• Ismael Ramirez, Garden Coordinator, Roger’s Community Garden “At Roger’s Community Garden, we will be showing admitted students a place on campus that will help them connect with their food, but also learn how to grow this food We are a fantastic resource for students who are interested or passionate about organic gardening and sustainable education. We would like to reach incoming students so that they can find a place on campus that has a different vibe—a community within UC San Diego that is very unique.”

• Gennie Miranda, Assistant Director, IDEA Student Center at the Jacobs School of Engineering “We work very closely with admissions and yield committees on all programming as it relates to engineering students. We host 80 students in our overnight program, in conjunction with the Black Student Union, Black Resource Center and SPACES, to show community within UC San Diego and also within the Jacobs School. We wouldn’t be able to do this without the help of the National Society of Black Engineers, Society of Hispanic Engineers and Society of Women Engineers student organizations.”
• Alisa Huffaker, Assistant Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology “I study plant interactions with other organisms. Our tour will show students how plants defend against herbivores like caterpillars. Leaves damaged by caterpillars emit floral-like scents that attract predator insects to help protect the plant. We will demonstrate leaves producing these scents and discuss how plants recognize invaders and how we discover the molecules that enable recognition.”
  
  Huffaker and her husband, also a professor, moved to UC San Diego six months ago. Previously at an institute focused on research rather than teaching, their desire for more interaction with students was a key reason they moved.

There is still time for all interested divisions, programs, schools and student organizations to help at Triton Day and Transfer Triton Day. Visit tritondays.ucsd.edu to complete the interest sign up by March 9 at 5 p.m. An email will be sent from the site within three business days with a registration link so participants can sign up to offer an information booth, academic or student support sessions, tours, open houses, as well as student performances and information booths by official student organizations.

Thanks to your help, Triton Day and Transfer Triton Day will be successful.