The Higher Opportunity Program for Education (HOPE)

The word “hope” is defined as “the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best” and that experience is what we try to provide for our students. HOPE is run by students for students. For anyone interested in getting to know themselves better, improve on their study habits, learn about college or alternative graduation plans, HOPE is for you.

Mission

We exist to address the under-representation of minority youth in higher education. Composed of UCLA student staff, interns, and mentors, we provide weekly services to students in under-resourced and underserved high schools in the Orange County and Los Angeles areas. We provide free mentoring, tutoring, test preparation, skill-building workshops, and field trips for students at our partnered sites: San Gabriel, Westminster, Gilbert & AUHSD Independent Studies, and Loara High School.

History

The Higher Opportunity Program for Education (HOPE) is a student-initiated project founded by the Vietnamese Student Union (VSU) in 1999. HOPE is committed to outreaching for youths who are at an educational disadvantage. HOPE exists to raise consciousness of and provide access to higher education through holistic empowerment. We promote self-sufficiency and leadership through academic, personal, and community empowerment. We develop our students through peer advising, tutoring, workshops, field trips, and high school conferences. Under the support of the UCLA Community Programs Office (CPO) and the direction of VSU, HOPE strives to achieve its goals toward educational equity for all.