More than 150 high school and college students participating in UC Irvine’s Future Leaders Initiative visited Irvine Spectrum Center for a day of learning with local business leaders, including executives from Irvine Company.
The visit was part of a weeklong program organized by UCI’s Paul Merage School of Business that introduces students to the region’s business community.
The initiative is open to high school and first-year community college students, many from underserved communities across Orange County. Throughout the week, participants engage with professionals in fields such as entrepreneurship, planning and commercial real estate.
“It was a really positive experience for me because I got the opportunity to learn from people who are highly experienced and about what they do, and it also opened up my mind to possible career paths,” said participant Chloe Bulyaba.
“It was just an impressive day,” said Ken Gillett, division president of Irvine Company Retail Properties. “These students invested their time to better themselves and to continue their education beyond just what they are learning from books.”
