Our History
Pride Admit Weekend (PAW) is one of many Yield Programs at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Yield Programs focus on providing newly admitted undergraduate students who may identify as a member of a marginalized community a holistic and unique experience of life at UCLA, aimed at encouraging these students to submit their Student Intent to Register (SIR) and join our Bruin family! PAW at UCLA is the only Yield Program in the nation that focuses on queer intersectionality.
Pride Admit Weekend for freshman admits was first started in 2014 by UCLA Project 1, a student group that centers around community outreach and mentorship of local LGBTQIA+ identified high school students, particularly under-served communities in East Los Angeles. From UCLA Project 1's spirit of service and social justice, Pride Admit Weekend was pioneered to become the first LGBTQIA+ focused freshman yield programs in the nation. Pride Admit Weekend aspires to not only increase LGBTQIA+ visibility in a large, public institution, but also showcase the diverse and multifaceted LGBTQIA+ experiences, building a strong and sustainable legacy of LGBTQIA+ leadership.
In 2019, we hosted our first transfer Pride Admit Weekend.
Pride Admit Weekend for freshman admits was first started in 2014 by UCLA Project 1, a student group that centers around community outreach and mentorship of local LGBTQIA+ identified high school students, particularly under-served communities in East Los Angeles. From UCLA Project 1's spirit of service and social justice, Pride Admit Weekend was pioneered to become the first LGBTQIA+ focused freshman yield programs in the nation. Pride Admit Weekend aspires to not only increase LGBTQIA+ visibility in a large, public institution, but also showcase the diverse and multifaceted LGBTQIA+ experiences, building a strong and sustainable legacy of LGBTQIA+ leadership.
In 2019, we hosted our first transfer Pride Admit Weekend.
Our mission
In order to cultivate a diverse and thriving LGBTQIA+ community at UCLA, Pride Admit Weekend aims to create an annual program to welcome LGBTQIA+ and allied prospective students to UCLA to learn about the spaces, resources, and communities that can enhance their college experience. These programs aim to uplift diverse LGBTQIA+ experiences (particularly QTPOC experiences); showcase role models of LGBTQIA+ leadership, advocacy, and success; and build foundational relationships between LGBTQIA+ students and staff.
Why Attend Pride Admit Weekend?
Pride Admit Weekend invites all newly admitted undergraduate students who may identify as LGBTQ+ to participate in PAW! Pride Admit Weekend is the first and only program in the nation that is catered toward LGBTQ+ admitted students. PAW gives new admits the opportunity to explore and learn about Bruin life, connect to on-campus resources available to new admits and queer or allied students, and to learn more about the academic, professional, and social opportunities UCLA offers. We pair small groups of admits with Family Heads, who act as mentors and guide their admits through PAW and Bruin life. PAW allows new students to build a community here at UCLA before starting classes in the Fall!