MBA Insider's Blog

Happy Holidays!

 

It's hard to believe 2016 is drawing to a close already! Thank you all for getting to know us this year, for sharing your stories and Anderson spirit in person and in your applications. 

Please note that the MBA Admissions and Financial Aid Office will be closed during the University closure from December 22, 2016 - January 2, 2017. During this time, we will check emails sent to the MBA Admissions inbox (mba.admissions@anderson.ucla.edu) but responses may be a little delayed. Regular business hours will resume on Tuesday, January 3. 

Holiday coffee chats with current Anderson students are also still occuring through the first week of January all over the world -- click here for more information and to RSVP.

 

We wish you all a wonderful holiday season and all the best for a prosperous 2017!

 

-- MBA Admissions & Financial Aid team

 

 

---

Stay in Touch: Introduce Yourself
Follow the Admissions Team @uclaMBA:  Twitter and Instagram
Questions? Contact us at: mba.admissions@anderson.ucla.edu

Student Blogger: Perspectives on the Embracing Diversity Conference 2016

This post is a part of the Student Blogger series - each post is written by a current UCLA Anderson student, and provides first-hand perspectives and experiences about being an MBA student at UCLA Anderson.

---

Student Blogger: Alexander Cain  '17 Undergrad: Cornell University- Applied Economics And Management, Accounting Pre-MBA: Bankruptcy Auditor Summer Internship: Wrigley - Marketing

---

The below is an excerpt of an original post "When an MBA Diversity Conference Delivers" in the UCLA Anderson Blog - please click here to view the whole blog post

 

Whenever I, an African-American male, hear about any “diversity” event, two predictions run through my mind: either it’s an event where universities push current diverse students involved in their program to attract other diverse prospects, but then fail to show how diversity matters to the greater student body; or it’s a diversity event that emphasizes diversity of thought and doesn’t include many multicultural students.

As someone who has gone through the MBA application process and attended several diversity events at business schools, I understand how hard it can be for an MBA program to find the proper balance required for a successful diversity event: promoting an expansive ideal of diversity encompassing women, LBGTQ and multicultural candidates while still addressing each community’s unique set of challenges and opportunities.

A common mantra I always heard growing up in a predominantly African-American neighborhood was, “Give back to those who come behind you.” I decided to participate in UCLA Anderson’s annual Embracing Diversity Conference to tell my Anderson story, gain an understanding of the pressing challenges among new prospects and give back to my community of African-Americans.

The kickoff event afforded a glimpse into what it’s like to be an Anderson student via the social context of Anderson Afternoons, the weekly happy hour where students reconnect over drinks and a small meal.  The first full day of the conference began with Dean Olian expressing her commitment to ensuring we embrace diversity of thought and cultures. Discussions focused on the unique professional network Anderson provides its students and offered insight into how hiring diverse MBAs has become a long-term business priority for companies. Prospective MBA students were able to envision what a career might look like with industry leaders such as AIG, Amazon, AT&T, Danaher, E. & J. Gallo, Google, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley and PwC.

The evening was capped off with a dinner and discussion with Rick Welts, president and chief operating officer of the Golden State Warriors and the first prominent sports executive who is openly gay. He talked about his journey starting as a ball boy with the Seattle Supersonics on up to winning championships as president of the Golden State Warriors. While it’s great to hear from current students about the value of being a diverse candidate, all of the prospective students were excited to hear a C-suite executive talk about his experience and overcoming challenges.

Chrystina Chandler (’17), Colleen Thomas (’17), Nicole Fencel (’17), Steph Lo (’17) Kyle Briscoe (v17), Jennifer Ockelmann (’17), Jackie Delgado (’17), Dammy Akinfenwa (’17), Katie Satornino (’17), Rob Weiler (’91)

The last day gave us another chance to tell prospective students about the Anderson brand as we see it — a fun, collaborative, smart group of individuals working together to achieve professional and personal success.

One attendee remarked, “The diversity conference was a real surprise. It was organized, had great speakers, and wasn’t just focused on Anderson’s diversity numbers. It was great to also see ‘non-diverse’ students volunteer at the event, which was a bit different than other schools.”

The Embracing Diversity Conference assuaged my initial hesitations about yet another event of this sort by demonstrating the school’s commitment to diversity at all levels of the Anderson staff, by the upscale presentation at the new UCLA Luskin Center, and through pledging the budget and careful planning necessary to make the conference empowering to prospective students, not only with respect to their MBA, but to their professional career going forward.

 

View the full gallery of photos from UCLA Anderson’s 2016 Embracing Diversity Conference

 

---
Stay in Touch: Introduce Yourself
Follow the Admissions Team @uclaMBA:  Twitter and Instagram
Questions? Contact us at mba.admissions@anderson.ucla.edu

This post is a part of the Student Blogger series - each post is written by a current UCLA Anderson student, and provides first-hand perspectives and experiences about being an MBA student at UCLA Anderson.

---

Student Blogger: Alexander Cain  '17 Undergrad: Cornell University- Applied Economics And Management, Accounting Pre-MBA: Bankruptcy Auditor Summer Internship: Wrigley - Marketing

---

The below is an excerpt of an original post "When an MBA Diversity Conference Delivers" in the UCLA Anderson Blog - please click here to view the whole blog post

 

Whenever I, an African-American male, hear about any “diversity” event, two predictions run through my mind: either it’s an event where universities push current diverse students involved in their program to attract other diverse prospects, but then fail to show how diversity matters to the greater student body; or it’s a diversity event that emphasizes diversity of thought and doesn’t include many multicultural students.

As someone who has gone through the MBA application process and attended several diversity events at business schools, I understand how hard it can be for an MBA program to find the proper balance required for a successful diversity event: promoting an expansive ideal of diversity encompassing women, LBGTQ and multicultural candidates while still addressing each community’s unique set of challenges and opportunities.

A common mantra I always heard growing up in a predominantly African-American neighborhood was, “Give back to those who come behind you.” I decided to participate in UCLA Anderson’s annual Embracing Diversity Conference to tell my Anderson story, gain an understanding of the pressing challenges among new prospects and give back to my community of African-Americans.

The kickoff event afforded a glimpse into what it’s like to be an Anderson student via the social context of Anderson Afternoons, the weekly happy hour where students reconnect over drinks and a small meal.  The first full day of the conference began with Dean Olian expressing her commitment to ensuring we embrace diversity of thought and cultures. Discussions focused on the unique professional network Anderson provides its students and offered insight into how hiring diverse MBAs has become a long-term business priority for companies. Prospective MBA students were able to envision what a career might look like with industry leaders such as AIG, Amazon, AT&T, Danaher, E. & J. Gallo, Google, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley and PwC.

The evening was capped off with a dinner and discussion with Rick Welts, president and chief operating officer of the Golden State Warriors and the first prominent sports executive who is openly gay. He talked about his journey starting as a ball boy with the Seattle Supersonics on up to winning championships as president of the Golden State Warriors. While it’s great to hear from current students about the value of being a diverse candidate, all of the prospective students were excited to hear a C-suite executive talk about his experience and overcoming challenges.

Chrystina Chandler (’17), Colleen Thomas (’17), Nicole Fencel (’17), Steph Lo (’17) Kyle Briscoe (v17), Jennifer Ockelmann (’17), Jackie Delgado (’17), Dammy Akinfenwa (’17), Katie Satornino (’17), Rob Weiler (’91)

The last day gave us another chance to tell prospective students about the Anderson brand as we see it — a fun, collaborative, smart group of individuals working together to achieve professional and personal success.

One attendee remarked, “The diversity conference was a real surprise. It was organized, had great speakers, and wasn’t just focused on Anderson’s diversity numbers. It was great to also see ‘non-diverse’ students volunteer at the event, which was a bit different than other schools.”

The Embracing Diversity Conference assuaged my initial hesitations about yet another event of this sort by demonstrating the school’s commitment to diversity at all levels of the Anderson staff, by the upscale presentation at the new UCLA Luskin Center, and through pledging the budget and careful planning necessary to make the conference empowering to prospective students, not only with respect to their MBA, but to their professional career going forward.

 

View the full gallery of photos from UCLA Anderson’s 2016 Embracing Diversity Conference

 

---
Stay in Touch: Introduce Yourself
Follow the Admissions Team @uclaMBA:  Twitter and Instagram
Questions? Contact us at mba.admissions@anderson.ucla.edu

UCLA Anderson Application Insider: Round 1 Decisions Released Today

This blog post is part of our "Application Insider" blog post series that provides insider information, tips, and advice about applying to the UCLA Anderson MBA program.

---

APPLICATION INSIDER TOPIC:
ROUND 1 DECISIONS RELEASED

Just after midnight today, we released all of our decisions to our full-time MBA Round 1 applicants. Admissions officers also called each admit the day before, so we had the chance to break the news to a lot of surprised candidates. It was so wonderful to hear the joy and excitement on the other end of the phone line! 

All applicants received an email to check their Status Page for their decision letter, as we use that secure site to display letters rather than actually sending them by email.  If you applied but did not see the notification email, please check your spam folder, or just go directly to your Status Page to view your admissions decision.

We are already receiving Round 2 applications and we know as always it will be our biggest round of the year.  We look forward to seeing many more excellent candidates in the new year by the Round 2 deadline of January 5 (or Round 3 deadline of April 12).

Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our application for Round 1, good luck to those working on applications for Round 2, and congratulations to all of our new admits!

 

---
Stay in Touch: Introduce Yourself
Follow the Admissions Team @uclaMBA:  Twitter and Instagram
Questions? Contact us at: mba.admissions@anderson.ucla.edu

Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our application for Round 1, good luck to those working on applications for Round 2, and congratulations to all of our new admits!

Consortium@Anderson: Q&A With Tazia Middleton '18

The Consortium has started a series of blog posts that will follow five Class of 2018 MBA students throughout the whole two-year process, and UCLA Anderson's Tazia Middleton is one of the five selected students!

Learn more about Tazia's journey to Anderson in the below excerpts from the first two blog posts from this series!

---

Name: Tazia Middleton '18 Undergrad: Cornell University, B.S. Applied Economics & Management, Law & Society Pre-MBA: Senior Investment Associate, Wetherby Asset Management Activities@Anderson: Management Consulting Association, Anderson Leadership Development Program, Women’s Business Connection, Out@Anderson, Basketball Club

---

 

Q. What concerns or hardships did you have to overcome in order to realistically consider business school?
“The scariest part was giving up the security of the life I had built in order to pursue something uncertain,” she said. “Saying goodbye to my clients and friends at work was a lot harder than I expected.”

 

Q. What was the most difficult part of applying to business school?
For Tazia, it was the tremendous time commitment, balancing work, family and “extracurricular” requirements with school research, test preparation and essay writing.

 

Q. Admissions counselors speak often about “fit”—finding the B-school that fits you. What were you looking for? Why did your choice ultimately meet those needs?
“Fit,” Tazia said, “is everything.”

 

Q. How has your experience so far lived up to (or fallen short of) your expectations?
“The collaborative culture is exactly what I was expecting,” Tazia said, “with students always willing to help other classmates.”

 

The UCLA Anderson Consortium Class of 2018

Q. What do you wish someone had told you about b-school before you started?
“Classwork and recruiting activities ramped up much more quickly than I expected,” Tazia said. “It is manageable, but not without organization.”

 

Q. What adjustments did you have to make once you understood what b-school was really like?
For Tazia, that meant becoming very, very scheduled. “I had to get back into the habit of maintaining a detailed calendar,” she said. “Group meetings, assignments, calls to my mom—they’re all in my calendar now.”

 

Be sure to read the full blog posts that cover Starting Business School and Adjusting to the Rigors of Business School, and learn more about The Consortium program!

 

UCLA Anderson's Consortium Class of 2018 hanging out at the beach

---
Stay in Touch: Introduce Yourself
Follow the Admissions Team @uclaMBA:  Twitter and Instagram
Questions? Contact us at: mba.admissions@anderson.ucla.edu

 

Student Blogger: Networking! The Not So Secret Life of an MBA...

This post is a part of the Student Blogger series - each post is written by a current UCLA Anderson student, and provides first-hand perspectives and experiences about being an MBA student at UCLA Anderson.

---

Hi future B-school students!

With Anderson Tech Business Association's Internship Career Night happening a few weeks ago, I thought it would be a great idea to share my experiences, tips and tricks networking as a first year MBA at Anderson so far.

Some background on me:

I grew up in (the not so sunny) state of New Jersey, in a surprisingly rural town, but I always knew I belonged in a big city bursting with people and diverse perspectives!  My love for the Big Apple led me to attend New York University and I received my B.A. in Psychology with a minor in History.  I also had the amazing opportunity to spend six months studying in Prague, Czech Republic.

After graduating from NYU, I began my career as a conference director in New York City, where I was creating, producing, and directing over 15 (inter)national business conferences in the United States, Europe, and South America in a variety of life science topics.  After a few years, I moved to sunny Los Angeles to gain experience in technology, entertainment and international business.

I then worked for over 3 years at the UK's Department for International Trade in the Creative, Media and Technology sectors.  I worked directly with foreign investment and trade clients, promoting trade and investment from the USA and UK.  I advised UK based firms on their feasibility of success in the USA market.

In a nutshell, my entire career has been spent selling and networking directly with clients.  However in business school, the amount I have been networking has reached an all time high.  Building your network is imperative to becoming a true business leader, and Anderson does a great job in providing almost too many opportunities to meet with the most impressive people!  

Combining my six years of experience and the past 3 months at Anderson, here are my...

...Top 3 Tips for Networking as an MBA:

1) Network with EVERYONE!

For those who don't have much experience networking or find the idea of networking with executives a bit daunting, start by networking with people you already know. You may not realize just how amazing your current network of connections is.  Canvas your LinkedIn, colleagues, family friends, even Facebook to find people who are doing interesting things.  Send them a quick email and set up a quick coffee chat just to learn more about what they do.  
Pro Tip: When you start your MBA, don't forget to speak to your new classmates - they are pretty amazing, as well!

2) Know your Stuff and Respect!

Everyone is busy and you only have one chance to make your first impression when you are networking.  No matter the level, position or person, be respectful of the time they have donated to speak with you.  If this is a meeting you have planned in advance, take the time to research the person and their company, and come up with thoughtful, specific questions that relate directly to them.  I promise, you will make a much better impression if you put the effort in and are knowledgable.  
Pro Tip: don't ask for a job and always send a thank you note within a day of speaking/meeting!  

3) They are People Too and Be Yourself! 

It can be scary and intimidating to reach out to and speak with people who are in very senior positions or have the potential to recommend you for your next job, but its so important to remember that they are people, too!  They have families, friends, hobbies, interests, come from different places and backgrounds, just like you and me.  Whenever I have worked with C-Level executives of Fortune 100 Companies or Government Officials, I always made a point to connect on a human level.  Try to build a real relationship by connecting on your commonalities, not just for business.  Small talk is important to gain glimpses into the personality of the person you're speaking to and it is the best way to start building this real relationship.  
Pro Tip: don't be a robot, let your personality shine!

 

I hope you find my musings helpful and I can't wait to see you at Anderson next year!

-Miriam

 

P.S. My classmates and I visiting Netflix HQ a few weeks ago to network with Anderson Alumni and other executives.  

 

 

---

Student Blogger: Miriam Feygenson '18 Undergrad: NYU Pre-MBA: Business Development @ Department of International Trade, British Embassy Leadership@Anderson: Director, Conference Programming-Women's Business Connection; Director, Marketing-Admissions Ambassador Corps; Director, Marketing-Jewish Business Student's Association

---

 

---

Stay in Touch: Introduce Yourself
Follow the Admissions Team @uclaMBA:  Twitter and Instagram
Questions? Contact us at mba.admissions@anderson.ucla.edu

UCLA Anderson MBAs Place in Multiple Case Competitions

UCLA Anderson MBA students regularly compete in case competitions locally, nationally and internationally, returning with valuable experience facing real-world business challenges in a competitive environment. Below are pictures from some of the many case competitions that Anderson MBAs have placed in recently over the last few months. 

 

• NAIOP SoCal Real Estate Challenge (read more)
  
  
  
  
  
• Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) Case Competition (read more)
  
  
  
  
  
• Deloitte National Human Capital Case Competition
  
  
  
  
  
  
• National Energy Finance Challenge
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Elite Eight Brand Management Competition
  
  
  
  
  

• Pfizer Healthcare Case Competition
  
  

 

 

---

Stay in Touch: Introduce Yourself
Follow the Admissions Team @uclaMBA:  Twitter and Instagram
Questions? Contact us at: mba.admissions@anderson.ucla.edu

Instagram @uclaMBA #TuesdayTakeover: Aubrey Rho '18

Introducing you to today's Instagram #TuesdayTakeover student, Aubrey Rho! Aubrey will be taking over our Instagram account @uclamba for a whole day today to show everyone a "Day in the Life" of a UCLA Anderson student!

Check in throughout the day to our @uclaMBA instagram account to hear about Aubrey's "Day in the Life"!

---

Name: Aubrey Rho Hometown: Pasadena, California Undergrad: Duke University, Neuroscience Pre-Anderson:  Sr. Business Consultant at Perficient

---

LEARN MORE ABOUT ANDREW: 

Academic Specialization: Technology Management

Leadership@Anderson: Chief of Staff - AnderTech, Director - Design for America, Marketing Representative - Admissions Ambassador Corps, Entrepreneurial Leadership Development Program

Clubs@Anderson: AnderTech, Design for America,  Anderson Creative, Net Impact, Entertainment Management Association

 

 

---

Stay in Touch: Introduce Yourself
Follow the Admissions Team @uclaMBA:  Twitter and Instagram
Questions? Contact us at: mba.admissions@anderson.ucla.edu

UCLA Application Insider: Top FAQs from Applicants - Part 1

This blog post is part of our weekly "Application Insider" blog post series that provides insider information, tips, and advice about applying to the UCLA Anderson MBA program.

---

APPLICATION INSIDER TOPIC:
TOP FAQs FROM APPLICANTS - PART 1

We have compiled the top Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) we have received from prospective applicants via e-mail, phone calls, and in person. We hope the tips below help you on your MBA information gathering and your application journey.  This week we'll be sharing the first top 5 FAQs and please check back next week for the next 5 FAQs. 

 

Q1. What events are available at UCLA Anderson for prospective students interested in learning more about the MBA program and where can I sign up for them?

A1. UCLA Anderson offers group information sessions, school tours, class visits, coffee chats, lunch chats, and webinars as opportunities for prospective students to get to know us. To sign up, you can visit our Events calendar to register for a day that works for your schedule. Please note that some of these events have capacity limits.

 

Q2. How do I get in touch with current students and alumni?

A2. You can reach out to our current students through our Connect with a Student interest form. Here, you can select your specific career interests and get linked up to current students pursuing similar career goals. To connect with our alumni, we recommend that you visit the Alumni network to get connected to alums regionally. LinkedIn is also a great place to find some worthwhile connections!

 

Q3. Do I need to submit my official transcripts and/or official test (GMAT, GRE, TOEFL, IELTS) scores when I apply to UCLA Anderson?

A3. No, you do not need to submit your official transcript documents or official test scores when applying. With your application you upload scanned unofficial copies of your transcripts and documents, and self-reported test scores are perfectly sufficient for the admissions committee to evaluate. If invited for an interview, you will be asked to provide hard copies of your transcripts and official test scores (more specific details will be provided). 

 

Q4. Do I need to take the TOEFL/IELTS?

A4. We require all international applicants to provide TOEFL or IELTS scores (with exception of those educated in Australia, Barbados, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom), regardless of the language of instruction during your undergraduate studies. This is a requirement from UCLA Graduate Division, which is the authority that oversees all graduate admissions.

 

Q5. Do you offer a GMAT/GRE waiver?

A5. We do not offer GMAT/GRE waivers for any reason. All applicants must submit either GMAT or GRE scores and we recommend you take the test you feel most comfortable with, as there is currently no preference for either exam in the admissions review process.

 

Make sure to check back next week for the next "Application Insider" blog post on TOP APPLICANT FAQs - PART 2 with an additional 5 FAQs!

 

---

Stay in Touch: Introduce Yourself
Follow the Admissions Team @uclaMBA:  Twitter and Instagram
Questions? Contact us at: mba.admissions@anderson.ucla.edu

 

Student Blogger: Fresh off of the Tech Trek!

This post is a part of the Student Blogger series - each post is written by a current UCLA Anderson student, and provides first-hand perspectives and experiences about being an MBA student at UCLA Anderson.

---

Hey everyone! My name is Ryan Dumlao and I’m a first-year student here at Anderson. Prior to Anderson, I was an electrical engineer, spending a few years working on radars, satellites, medical devices, and an iPad app. I eventually shifted away from design and into higher level roles, and finally decided to come to Anderson to pivot into product management in technology. As a first-year, one of the big events we get to look forward to during the first few months of the program are the Days On the Job, where we get a full week’s break from classes and recruiting to trek out across the country and visit companies in our intended industries. For those of us going into technology, the Anderson Tech Business Association (AnderTech for short) sets up an amazing week of company visits during this time: the Tech Trek.

Traveling up to Seattle and back down to the Bay Area, we were each able to visit a handful of companies throughout the tech sector. For my trek, I was able to visit 11 companies during the week: Microsoft, Amazon, and Tableau in Seattle, followed by Flex, Intel, Google, eBay, Adobe, Autodesk and Salesforce in the Bay Area. The selection of companies to visit was much larger, and we were able to ‘bid’ on companies to visit based on personal preference; I was particularly excited about Google and Intel, to learn about their product management and rotation programs available to MBA interns in the summer.

Visiting the Google (Mountain View) and Intel (Santa Clara) campuses

The trek gave us an in-depth perspective on what it was like to work at each company, including campus tours, information on the summer internship offerings and full-time opportunities, and sit-down discussions with Anderson alums and other employees from each company. It was amazing to see how strong and wide-reaching Anderson’s network is within the tech industry throughout the West Coast, and every alum was excited to meet and speak with us to help us navigate through the process they were once a part of as students themselves! Since most people were taking the same trek, I traveled and roomed with 3 other classmates in Seattle, Menlo Park and San Francisco. We bonded together, helped prep for our company visits, and unwound with other Anderson classmates at the end of each day.

Group photos at Salesforce (San Francisco) and Microsoft (Redmond, WA)

In between company visits, we were able to explore the sights and eats of downtown Seattle, had a evening mixer hosted by Intel in Palo Alto, and I spent the rest of the weekend hosting classmates around San Francisco and visiting friends. Amidst the hectic non-stop of the first quarter of business school, the week was not just an opportunity to continue recruiting for the summer, but to take a break from UCLA and sunny Los Angeles to explore more of the West Coast. For many first-time visitors, we were able to check out the Space Needle, the Fremont Troll and Pike Place Market and Seattle, as well as the Ferry Building, Golden Gate Bridge, and the Embarcadero in San Francisco.

Truly a unique experience, DOJ week is one of the best advantages of coming to Anderson, utilizing our vast network and close proximity to the tech scenes in Seattle and the Bay Area!

 

---

Student Blogger: Ryan Dumlao '18 Undergrad: Electrical Engineering (B.S., UC San Diego; M.S., UCLA) Pre-MBA: The Medicines Co & Raytheon Leadership@Anderson: Brand Management Chair, Leadership Development Program, Admissions Corps Ambassador, Anderson Technology Business Association, Design for America, Management Consulting Association

---

 

---

Stay in Touch: Introduce Yourself
Follow the Admissions Team @uclaMBA:  Twitter and Instagram
Questions? Contact us at: mba.admissions@anderson.ucla.edu

Instagram @uclaMBA #TuesdayTakeover: Abby Williamson '18

Introducing you to today's Instagram #TuesdayTakeover student, Abby Williamson! Abby will be taking over our Instagram account @uclamba for a whole day today to show everyone a "Day in the Life" of a UCLA Anderson student!

Check in throughout the day to our @uclaMBA instagram account to hear about Abby's "Day in the Life"!

---

Name: Abby Williamson Hometown: Northbrook, Illinois Undergrad: Northwestern University, Theatre & Psychology Pre-Anderson:  Storybook Princess Parties, Co-Founder and Former Paralegal

---

LEARN MORE ABOUT ANDREW: 

Academic Specialization: Entertainment Marketing

Leadership@Anderson: First Year Section President, Women’s Business Connection Director of Alumnae Relations, Entertainment Management Association Director of Entertainment Career Night,  Parker Career Management Center Social Media Marketing Team

Clubs@Anderson: Marketing Association, Challenge for Charity, Anderson Creative

 

---

Stay in Touch: Introduce Yourself
Follow the Admissions Team @uclaMBA:  Twitter and Instagram
Questions? Contact us at: mba.admissions@anderson.ucla.edu