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To transform our academic and local community through the Diversity, Inclusion and Racial Healing, striving to prepare students to positively engage within diverse and pluralistic environments.

About

In response to the race-based violence of the 2017 Charlottesville protest, the Samueli Foundation and UCI sought to build a program for high school students that would uncover and jettison the deeply held, and often unconscious axioms created by a false belief in a hierarchy of human value. Under the leadership of Director Teresa Neighbors, the University of California, Irvine has embarked on a commitment to diversity and inclusion and the Empathy, Connection and Human Outreach (ECHO) Project (Formerly DIRHA- Diversity, Inclusion, and Racial Healing Ambassador Program) was born.

Mission

The mission of the Empathy, Connection and Human Outreach Project (ECHO) is to transform our academic and local community by preparing students to positively engage in diverse and pluralistic environments both within and beyond their high schools. Specifically, ECHO strives to:
  • build empathy, strengthen cultural competency, and reduce stereotypes rooted in the false hierarchy of human value based onrace, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and other identities through faculty-developed seminars, experiential learning, mentorship and inclusive leadership development.
  • enable participants to pass on their knowledge to their communities and peers through student-driven projects.

Through strategic planning and programmatic development, we aim to promote a greater understanding and appreciation of diversity in our communities.

 

  • Overview

    Seminars

    ECHO Seminars take place on high school campuses across one academic year on a monthly schedule agreed upon by UCI and the participating high school. Seminars were designed by UCI faculty in consultation with experienced high school teachers, and are based on set themes of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, including:

    Diversity & Inclusion

    Race & Racism

    Religious Diversity

    Immigration and Citizenship

    Native American History

    Gender & Sexuality

    Ability

    Racial Healing

    Media Literacy & Inclusion

    Equitable Leadership

    Projects Methods

    Research Methods

     

    Mentorship

    UCI undergraduate students are paired with participating schools to serve as a mentor during seminars and assist with projects. All mentors have had UCI diversity training or participated in diversity programs.

     

    Field Trips

    Students are provided with the opportunity to further develop their knowledge through field trips to sites of historical and contemporary importance. Students link seminar learning to the local context and experience networking opportunities. Past field trips include tours of Old Towne Orange, theHeritage Museum in Orange County, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, Hollenbeck Community Police Station in Los Angeles, Putuidem Acjachemen Village, and Blas Aguilar Adobe.

     

  • How to Join - Participate

    For HS Students

    A small cohort from each school will be selected to participate through an application process. Contact us at dirha@uvci.edu so we can connect you with your school supervisor for more information on enrolling your high school.

    FAQ

    I want to join! Are there any requirements?
    Be sophomore or junior-standing.

    Is there a GPA requirement?
    There’s no minimum GPA requirement.

    Will it cost me anything to participate?
    No financial costs!

     

     

    For HS Teachers and Administrators Interested in Becoming a Liaison

    A High school teacher or administrator from each participating high school is required in order for the high school to enroll in the program. The high school teacher or administrator serves as the liaison between the high school and UCI, and also oversees the high school participants from their campus throughout the year-long program

     
    Description of Duties:
    • Schedule and attend all seminars on their campus
    • Coordinate with UCI mentors for high school visits
    • Maintain communication with undergraduate mentors about the progress of their high school participantsAdvise student projects in collaboration with mentorsCoordinate with your school’s administration to secure any potentially required student transportation and parent waivers for UC Irvine visits or field trips
    • Connect your administration or transportation office to ECHO staff so they may collect insurance certificates, if necessary
    • Keep ECHO staff informed regarding feedback or concerns
       

    Please contact Dr. Teresa Neighbors at dirha@uci.edu for details on how this program can benefit your campus

  • For UCI Students
    Description of Duties
    • Support and encourage new high school student participants
    • Lead mentees during seminars and program activities through breakouts and Q&A’s
    • Develop and maintain relationships with, serve as a resource to, and provide assistance and support for high school participants
    • Help facilitate and encourage attendance to all ECHO sessions
    • Participate in training, programs and activities
    • Attend both group and mentor meetings
    • Analyze data and prepare material for the end of year project proposal
       
    Qualifications
    • Desire to work with high school students
    • Demonstrated knowledge of topics of diversity, equity and inclusion
    • Leadership capacity
    • Able to attend in-person and remote seminars on the listed dates (see flyer for more information)
       

 

Please contact Dr. Teresa Neighbors, DIRHA@uci.edu, for more information on becoming a mentor..

 

 

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