Meet the Transfer Student Center Staff

Adeeva Myers

Adeeva Myers

Program Director - Transfer Student Center

Adeeva is a Southern California native from the city of Carson. She earned her Bachelors of Arts degree in Social Welfare from the University of California, Berkeley and completed her Masters of Education degree in Educational Counseling from the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California. While in undergrad, Adeeva participated in various leadership roles on campus including working as a Resident Assistant and being a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. She has extensive experience in college access, previously working with organizations such as TRiO Upward Bound and the USC College Advising Corp where she assisted majority low income, first generation students in applying and enrolling into college. As a product of an under-resourced high school, Adeeva understands the plight of students needing added support in their efforts to achieve within higher education. Her goal is to see our education system grow into a more equitable institution where students of all backgrounds can achieve equally. Therefore, she is dedicated to helping cultivate young lives concerning their academic, personal, and professional success!

She enjoys traveling, cooking, live music, and trying new Brunch spots over the weekends! Adeeva would love to chat with you. Please contact her with any questions for support.

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Office: 2100 Student Services II
E-mail: ammyers@uci.edu

Carlos Martinez

Carlos Martinez

Student Success Programs Office Manager - Freshman Edge and Transfer Programs

Carlos serves as the Office Coordinator for the Transfer Student Center. As a former transfer student himself, he earned his Associate of Arts for Transfer in Psychology from Glendale Community College in California. He went on to graduate from UC Irvine with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Social Behavior.

Carlos’s responsibilities revolve around maintaining an inclusive and welcoming environment for both current and prospective Transfer students and their peers. In his role, he oversees front desk operations, as well as the student service needs for a variety of Student Success Initiatives programs, including the Freshman Edge, Transfer BOOST, and Student Parents and Families programs. Carlos also serves as the initial point of contact for TSC guests, families, and campus partners, connecting them with the appropriate campus resources.

Carlos enjoys playing video games, jamming out on the keyboard, and sharing recommendations for shows to binge watch. Feel free to reach out to him with your transfer student experience questions, or to simply share a bright moment in your day.

Office: 2100 Student Services II
E-mail: carlosmm@exchange.uci.edu

Ananda Van Boeyen

Ananda Van Boeyen

Counselor/Coordinator - Former Incarcerated & System Impacted Program and Student Parent & Families (SPF)

Ananda Van Boeyen grew up as a first-generation, low-income, immigrant family student. She chose to complete her Master of Social Work, having experienced first-hand the power of mentorship and having someone believe in your dreams, dignity, and worth. Ananda has spent over 15 years working with families, early intervention mental health services, people without housing, survivors of domestic violence, immigration detainees, and reentry services. Ananda is passionate about creating a sense of community and belonging for all students while helping them find their voice and power. Ananda loves the outdoors, whether it is hiking, the beach, or napping under the sun. She enjoys listening to music, attending concerts and festivals, reading, running, working out, podcasts and napping. Please contact her with questions and for support.

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Office: 2100 Student Services II
E-mail: avanboey@uci.edu

Laura Zepeda

Laura Zepeda

Program Coordinator - TSC & FYRE

Laura is a proud first-generation college graduate from Salinas, CA. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a Minor in Applied Psychology from UC Santa Barbara. She has experience working within residential life, academic advising, Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP), and Upward Bound. During her undergraduate career, she had the opportunity to work with a wide array of student populations which has fueled her passion for working and supporting students, especially first-gen, income-eligible, and historically underrepresented students. She believes in empowering our students to take ownership of their education through the utilization of support networks and through the cultivation of their unique sense of belonging. Prior to this role she served as a UCI Summer Bridge Program Coordinator where she supported an amazing group of incoming first year students get acclimated to UCI. She is excited to serve as the Transfer Student Center (TSC)/Foster Youth Resilience in Education (FYRE) Coordinator under Student Success Initiatives (SSI) at UCI.

Book an Appointment

Office: 2100 Student Services II
E-mail: lzepeda1@uci.edu

Ameinah Thomas

Ameinah Thomas

Counselor/Coordinator - UMOJA

Ameinah is a Los Angeles, California native with the educational trajectory to match. She is a first generation college student turned graduate. Her K-12 experiences are from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), she then graduated from UCLA with her Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies with a double minor in Education Studies and Anthropology. Ameinah received her Masters of Education in Educational Counseling from USC and is currently a doctoral candidate at Cal State LA pursuing her degree in Educational Leadership. During her time at UCLA, Ameinah participated in various research groups including Educators for Tomorrow. She also held roles in the Afrikan Student Union and chaired the Afrikan Women’s Collective all four years as a student. Adopting an “Each one, teach one” mentality, Ameinah worked for the same college access organization that helped her get into college which then set off her love for helping underrepresented, low-income, first-generation students gain access, matriculate, and be retained in college and beyond to professional schools and their careers. Also a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, she understands the importance of community and aims to always foster community in the spaces she’s in. As a product of a single parent, low-income household, Ameinah strives to support all students in understanding the importance of equitable educational experiences and their roles within them. Ameinah is excited to get to know you, please contact her with any questions about the Umoja program.

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Office: 2100 Student Services II
E-mail: adthomas@uci.edu