Dear Triton Families,

One of the most remarkable parts of the college experience is how much can change over the course of a single year. As your student moves through this quarter and begins looking ahead to final exams, summer plans and what comes next, that growth often becomes especially visible. Your support is an essential part of that continued growth — and it matters more than you might think.

But there’s no single roadmap for supporting a college student — and for families of first-generation students, that role can come with both meaningful pride and a fair amount of uncertainty. At every stage of the college journey, your student is navigating new experiences, challenges and decisions that may feel unfamiliar.

While their path may come with unique challenges, your student is supported by a network of programs, resources and people who are deeply committed to their success — and you are an important part of that network. Whether it’s staying informed about available resources or offering encouragement along the way, your support makes a meaningful difference.

Our hope with each edition of this newsletter is to make sure you have the information and resources to support your student — and yourself — through every season of this journey.

All my best,
Margot Clifford
Director, Parent and Family Programs

Community and belonging are essential to student success. This section highlights efforts across campus to celebrate and foster first-generation community and spotlights individuals from across our Triton community who share their first-gen experience. 

First-generation student spotlight: Steven Tran '27

As a first-generation college student, I came from a background where I didn’t know where to begin or have the networks to help me pursue an education. From a young age, I've always believed in the promise of education and embracing curiosity, which came to a head while volunteering at the Jennifer Moreno VA Hospital. The crossover between my education and shadowing at a hospital setting was powerful because it demonstrated how abstract concepts translate into real patient care, which empowered me to pursue medicine.

I chose UC San Diego for its high academic standards as a world-renowned institution, financial value and proximity to home, allowing me to see family while I pursue my education. Being a STEM-heavy school, UC San Diego also offers lots of research opportunities for students. The saying “it takes a village to raise a child" could be said about becoming a physician. Since medicine is a long and treacherous path filled with high standards, time-crunch and self-doubt, I often found myself seeking support from mentors, peers and my community.

As a scholarship recipient with a life-changing opportunity to chase my dreams, I maximize my time here and certainly do not take it for granted. In the future, I hope that more students from similar backgrounds will have the same opportunities to pursue their dreams. 

College is about more than academics. This section highlights campus resources that support your student’s health, well-being and overall college experience so they can so they can thrive both inside and outside the classroom. 

Access to care

Student Health Services (SHS) now can directly bill UnitedHealthcare PPO plans for eligible services. This is part of the phased Access to Care for Non-UC SHIP/Billing Expansion project to transform the student experience by expanding access to compassionate and affordable health care for thousands of UC San Diego students. 

What does this mean for your student? If they are enrolled in UnitedHealthcare PPO, they can use SHS for their primary care needs and the SHS clinic can submit claims directly to their insurance. We are the first UC campus to have the ability to bill third-party health insurance providers. For more information, please visit 2026 UC SHIP Changes webpage.

Basic Needs Center

What is the Hub Basic Needs Center? UC San Diego Basic Needs is a collection of services for undergraduate students facing housing, food and financial insecurity. If your student is in need of emergency basic needs resources, start by filling out out a basic needs assistance form. 

We strive to increase equitable access to food, housing and financial wellness resources for all students. By breaking down barriers and engaging in transformative dialogues around basic needs, we help students focus on their academic success and holistic well-being. Our services are open to all registered and enrolled UC San Diego students!

Urgent mental health services for students

Supporting a student during a time of crisis can feel overwhelming, but resources are available to help ensure their safety and well-being.

Triton CORE is a mobile response team dedicated to supporting students who may be experiencing a mental health or behavioral health crisis on campus. The team is made up of licensed mental health professionals who respond directly to students wherever they are on campus, and their goal is to provide compassionate, respectful and culturally sensitive care during difficult moments. 

This service is especially helpful for students who may be:
• Feeling extremely overwhelmed or unable to cope
• Struggling to care for their basic needs, such as eating, sleeping or attending class
• Having frightening or distressing thoughts, including thoughts of harming themselves

If you are concerned about your student, you may contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at 858-534-3755 (select option two after hours) for guidance. You may also consult with a Triton CORE by calling the UCPD Non-Emergency Line at 858-534-4357. These services will help determine the most appropriate next steps.

Guiding Tritons to steadier shores

Triton Lighthouse: Immersive Care Program is a new CAPS program that offers a short-term (eight to 10 weeks) comprehensive initiative for UC San Diego students. The program focuses on early intervention and prevention for students who may be feeling isolated, experiencing hopelessness, having overwhelming thoughts or emotions that make life difficult, contemplating self-harm that does not require medical attention, or having recently experienced a distressing situation. The goals is to help students feel supported, build coping skills and connect with the Triton community. To get started, students can call CAPS at 858-534-3755 and ask for a Triton Lighthouse Brief Telephone Assessment (BTA).

Connect with the Student Employment Office

Each student’s academic journey is different. This section focuses on resources and support systems at UC San Diego that help your student take full advantage of their academic ability, discover opportunities to excel, gain transferable skills and achieve.

Gain real-world experience through experiential learning opportunities on the REAL portal

The REAL Portal is a new platform that serves as a one-stop hub for UC San Diego's experiential learning opportunities. It integrates three key modules designed to make learning, engagement and collaboration easier than ever. In the new REAL Portal, your student will be able to:

• Discover opportunities that connect them to research, internships, service-learning, on-campus jobs and other applied learning experiences both on and off campus.
• Enroll in academic internship courses, either locally in San Diego or through immersive quarter internships like UC Washington (UCDC), to gain real-world experience, explore career interests and bridge classroom learning with professional practice under faculty guidance. 
• Capture and showcase their involvement through the Co-Curricular Record (CCR), which tracks skill development and engagement beyond the classroom on an official university document, complementary to the academic transcript.

Learn more and explore the the REAL Portal at realportal.ucsd.edu.

Finding academic support on campus

Meeting the cost of an undergraduate education is a significant investment. In this section, you'll find resources dedicated to ensuring that students and families have the support and information they need to navigate financial challenges and build pathways to the future.

Connect with the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office

As parents and family members, you are important members of our Triton community. We hope you'll get involved and take advantage of all this community has to offer!