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The Pacific Life LIFEvest program mission is to provide financial literacy education and vital life skills to help motivate & inspire high school students (Rising Freshmen, Rising Sophomores, and Rising Juniors) from underserved communities to be the first in their families to attend/graduate college (#firstgen).
This FREE, week-long summer program aims to strengthen student understanding of financial matters, provide exposure to a college campus, encourage admission to a college or university, explore various career fields, teach social etiquette skills, and inspire confidence and success in all areas of life.
We are now accepting applications for the 2022 Pacific Life LIFEvest Program. Click the link below to apply.
2022 LIFEvest dates
Week 1: Sunday June 26 - Friday July 1 (Girls Week)
Week 2: Sunday July 10 - Friday July 15 (Boys Week)
Week 3: Sunday July 17 - Friday July 22 (Girls Week)
Week 4: Sunday July 31 - Friday August 5 (Boys Week)
Final Deadline: April 22, 2022
Not sure if this program is right for you? Reach out to us at ciwm@merage.uci.edu
The Pacific Life LIFEvest Financial Literacy Program, hosted by the Center for Investment and Wealth Management at the UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business, is a weeklong, on-campus program dedicated to helping underserved rising 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students (current 8th, 9th, and 10th grade students) from Orange, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino counties. The program is designed for high school students who have the potential to be first generation college students. The program strives to strengthen an understanding in financial matters, expose students to a college campus, encourage admission to a college or university, explore various career fields, teach social etiquette skills, and inspire confidence and success in all areas of life.
The LIFEvest program is intended to help students gain a basic understanding of financial concepts (think Financial Literacy 101) while exposing them to the college campus experience. Current 8th grade, 9th-grade, and 10th grade students who will be 9th, 10th, and 11th graders in the next academic year are encouraged to apply as the program also seeks to support students' post-program completion through college planning.
All donations directly support the LIFEvest student scholarships. It is the Center’s goal to create an endowment or receive multiple year pledges from donors to provide LIFEvest program scholarships to at least 100 students annually. Together, we can create a brighter future – helping teens build a meaningful life plan by creating lasting financial and educational goals.
LIFEvest has received a $2 million gift from the Pacific Life Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Newport Beach-based insurance company.
"Through the partnership, we aim to instill a lifelong curiosity in personal finance and provide students the necessary financial skills and confidence to pursue a college education."
Read more here.
My daughter is Raquel Ornelas and she participated in LIFEvest about 4 years ago. Since then Raquel was awarded a 4-year scholarship for high school over 200k! She still remembers the program and will take about it to friends from time to time. I myself believe that this is a great course for teenagers.
– Juana O. (Racquel’s Mother) –
The UCI LIFEvest Financial Literacy “blessed” my daughter Malia with incredible and priceless information and most of all, great insight into the financial industry. We are grateful!
– Gale N. (Malia’s Mother) –
What are the top 3 things you learned from the Financial Literacy Program and how have they helped you?
I learned about stocks and bonds and how to handle a business of my own. This program has helped train me to own my own business as well as how to build a strong relationship with the people you work with. You can't just show up to work and not interact with other employees, you have to show up and treat others with respect so that you can still operate your business successfully.
I learned to develop better speaking skills during the time that I was there and now I'm able to present in front of groups without being timid. I also learned how to work better in teams. The group project that we worked on helped me get a better understanding of how to manage a group, the time, and share responsibilities to get the job done. All these things that I learned have helped me become a better developed student.
I learned many things from the Financial Literacy Program that have currently helped me in many ways. One of the biggest things I learned at this program that will always stay with me is that it doesn't matter what situation you come from, if you have the willpower and put effort into everything you do, you can accomplish almost anything. Hearing other people's stories have really encouraged me and have made me work harder towards my dreams.
The Center helps LIFEvest alumni stay informed and connected by hosting various annual events, such as the UCI Basketball Homecoming Game in March and bowling in October. In addition, the Center sends out a monthly newsletter, “The Legacy” to all LIFEvest alumni and has initiated a mentorship program whereby LIFEvest Alumni are matched up with a current UCI Undergraduate Students so as to assist and guide alumni to be successful in high school and the college going preparation.
The LIFEVest Financial Literacy Program was the very first time I was introduced to the world of profession and higher education. To have been immersed in so many new and unique experiences that demanded professional acuity created the start of a lifelong journey of self improvement for me. I learned that the business world is interconnected with every field and extremely relevant no matter your career aspirations. The material that I learned here in the program has correlated with my work and life experiences.
I hope to go into education policy in the future and even run for public office someday. I am part of the student cite council and am passionate about having the voice for students heard in government! The possibilities are endless and we are capable of anything that we strive for. Every single day of the program, our mentors and speakers made sure that we knew it too.
Consecutively to the program, I was accepted into the UCI Saturday Academy of Law and completed the program with the honor of giving the closing speech at the graduation ceremony. I interned with Congressman Lou Correa and have recently traveled to Sacramento. I am part of a coalition that is fighting to stop the sale of flavored tobacco products in Santa Ana and was part of getting the ordinance passed in City Council.
I am forever indebted to the program for being what inspired me to always shoot for a higher level of education and achievement.
-- Cecy Rivera
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You will be notified when a decision has been made on your application and acceptance into the program. Thank you for your interest!
More information:
Center for Investment and Wealth Management
949.824.2675
ciwm@merage.uci.edu