A recognition of Bruins helping other Bruins in crisis:

Introduction

Dear UCLA student, staff or faculty member,

The True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. program is the result of a collaboration between the USAC Internal Vice President’s Office, Graduate Student Association, UCLA Case Management Services and the UCLA Office of the Dean of Students. We honor UCLA undergraduate & graduate students who take initiative to help a fellow Bruin in crisis. We aim to acknowledge and celebrate Bruins who exemplify our True Bruin values of Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Service and Excellence (R.A.I.S.E.)

This project was created to celebrate UCLA students who stepped up to help a student in crisis. We hope that their stories will inspire other students to take initiative as well. Please go to this Daily Bruin article for additional information about the program and past award winners (published March 3, 2026.)

The nomination form opens for submissions each fall quarter. You have the chance to nominate a student who has either helped you or helped another student in crisis. Please note, students will be considered for this award if the nomination form describes a specific incident/s of the student helping a student in crisis, as opposed to nominations that describe a student's general responsibilities for helping other students as part of their role in a program, organization or employment.

The person you nominate will have the chance to be selected for recognition, an honor that includes an award with a $50-dollar value, an invitation to a ceremony hosted by the USAC Internal Vice President’s Office and the Graduate Student Association.

Please feel free to go to this Daily Bruin article for additional information about the program (published 2018.)

Important Information

  • Please keep in mind that the nomination forms will be read by students from the USAC Internal Vice President’s Office and the Graduate Student Association and staff from UCLA Case Management Services.
  • Any information relating to sexual assault, stalking, dating/domestic violence or sexual harassment will be reported to UCLA Title IX office per University policy. Please be mindful of the follow-up process if you choose to share information related to those issues.
  • If you have questions, please feel free to contact us at: IVP@usac.ucla.edu, pres@gsa.asucla.ucla.edu and/ or kminero@saonet.ucla.edu Or call UCLA Case Management Services at 310-825-7291.
  • If there is an emergency: Please dial 911 for your local police/ ambulance or go to your nearest hospital emergency room.
  • If there is a concern regarding a student in emotional crisis, UCLA's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) has counselors available to talk by phone 24 hours a day at 310.825.0768.
  • The UCLA Police Department (UCPD) is also available should someone need immediate assistance at dial '911' or 310.825.1491 (24 hours).
  • UCLA Case Management Services (CMS) provides support and guidance on how to support a student in crisis. To see resources available, please visit the CMS website and please also view the UCLA Red Folder.

Eligibility

  • UCLA students may be nominated by a UCLA faculty or staff member or a UCLA student who is registered and enrolled in winter quarter 2026.
  • Self-nominations are not accepted.
  • To receive the award with $50 value, the individual receiving the award must be a currently registered and enrolled UCLA student in winter quarter 2026.
  • An individual may nominate more than one student. Please submit a separate nomination form for each student.
  • There is an annual award ceremony in the winter quarter hosted by the USAC Internal Vice President’s Office, the Graduate Student Association and UCLA Case Management Services. Details TBA.
  • Nominations will typically be accepted in the fall quarter each year.
  • Please note, students will be considered for this award if the nomination form describes a specific incident/s of the student helping a student in crisis, as opposed to nominations that describe a student's general responsibilities for helping other students as part of their role in a program, organization or employment.

Nomination Form

"True Bruins R.A.I.S.E." nomination form

The nomination form is currently closed, but will open each fall quarter.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact us at: IVP@usac.ucla.edu, pres@gsa.asucla.ucla.edu and/ or kminero@saonet.ucla.edu

Or please call UCLA Case Management Services at 310-825-7291 (Mon- Fri, 8am-5pm)

Memories of TBR Award Ceremonies & Award Winners

2026 True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. award winners & AVC Mick Deluca
2026 True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. award winners & AVC Mick Deluca
planning committee for 2026 True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. awards
AVC Mick Deluca & planning committee for 2026 True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. awards
nominator hugging award winner 2026
award winner Naomi Hammonds accepting her award
Keynote speaker AVC Mick Deluca
Our keynote speaker, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Life, Mick Deluca
UCLA Case Management Services staff at 2026 awards dinner
UCLA Case Management Services staff at 2026 awards dinner
True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. Award Winners 2023-2024
True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. Award winners who attended 2024 Award Dinner Ceremony
photo of seven Resident Assistants who won the TBR award 23-24
Seven Resident Assistants (RAs) won the 2024 True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. award!
seven members of the 23-24 TBR planning committee (including members of the USAC Internal Vice President's Office and the Graduate Student Association
2024 TBR planning committee (GSA, USAC IVP & CMS)
photo of keynote speaker Dr. Drea Letamendi
Dr. Drea Letamendi keynote speaker for 2024 TBR Award Dinner Ceremony
True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. Award winners who attended 2025 Award Dinner Ceremony
True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. award winners who attended 2025 Award Dinner Ceremony
Photo of two Case Managers at the check-in table for the 2025 True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. Award Dinner Ceremony
Check-in table at 2025 True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. dinner, award ceremony
photo of keynote (AVC Dr. Suzanne Seplow), Case Management Services staff & Dr. Nicole Presley (Senior Executive Director of UCLA Student Resilience and Mental Health Services)
photo of keynote (AVC Dr. Suzanne Seplow), Case Management Services staff & Dr. Nicole Presley (Senior Executive Director of UCLA Student Resilience and Mental Health Services) at the 2025 TBR dinner, award ceremony
photo of Resident Assistants who won TBR award & Residential Life staff
10 Resident Assistants won the 2025 TBR award!

Congratulations to the 2024, 2025 & 2026 award winners!

List of 2026 True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. award winners:

1.      Annika Anbiai-Fard- undergrad

2.      Julie Bernardo- grad student

3.      Marlee Calles Palacios- undergrad

4.      Gabriel DeCastro- undergrad

5.      Nadia Fadaei- undergrad, transfer student

6.      Caitlyn Fick- grad student

7.      Sage Frock- grad student

8.      Victor Gomez- undergrad, transfer student

9.      Bella Gordon- undergrad

10.   Kyle Guillermo- undergrad

11.   Naomi Hammonds – grad student  

12.   Skye Jones- undergrad

13.   Lekhna Kumaraswamy- undergrad

14.   Jayden Lin- undergrad

15.   Diego Lopez- undergrad

16.   Vanessa Martinez- undergrad

17.   Lindsay O’Brien- undergrad, transfer student

18.   Danielle Paisley– undergrad

19.   Isabella Pascual- undergrad

20.   Diana Rinza – grad student

21.   Josselyn Sandoval- undergrad

22.   Teesha Sreeram- undergrad

23.   Roman St. Gerard – undergrad

24.   Amares Vegas- undergrad

25.   Keara Williams- grad student

List of 2025 True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. award winners

  • Muratkhan Abdirash
  • Syed Tamim Ahmad
  • Pallavi Badri
  • Kaiden Burke
  • Lauren Cohen
  • Sasha Gladkikh
  • Tim Hamilton
  • Schinal Harrington
  • Jessica Hedayi
  • Jose Hernandez
  • Mason Hoyt
  • Rachel Julien
  • Kyle Kalindjian
  • Shermaine Lim
  • Harshini Manikanda Llango
  • Sara Lowe
  • Jenson Miller
  • Avantika Naina Mohan
  • Liana Nitka
  • Emonie Robinson
  • Shahin Sanchez Seyeddi
  • Arshdeep Singh
  • Sharwaree Tamhankar
  • Gloria Tang
  • Jaipal Virdi
  • Renee Wen
  • Camryn Whitmore

List of 2024 True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. award winners:

  • Holland Rhodd-Lee
  • Josephine Blumencwejg
  • Geovanna Ordonez
  • Jewell Humphrey
  • Lauren Cho
  • Shima Sarabi
  • Youseff Essanaa
  • Bennett Shaw
  • Derek Ren
  • Adam Nguyen
  • Sarai Barron
  • Andre Hiwatig
  • Amanda Kang
  • Sonya Brooks
  • Mumtahina Tajrian
  • Oseas Garcia
  • Stephany Cartney
  • Ashlie Dao
  • Madyson Noguchi
  • Euan Elemancil
  • Emma Landry
  • Leyla Anwar
  • Srika Chagarlamudi