About Us
The Bruin Caregiving Scholars (BCS) was founded to advocate for inclusive campus resources and classrooms that recognize and support students caring for adult dependents, who are overlooked in higher education despite their significant responsibilities.
"There are only four types of people in the world. Those who have been caregivers. Those who are currently caregivers. Those who will be caregivers. And those who will need a caregiver."
- Rosalyn Carter
Our Story
HOW CSI Began: Addressing critical need
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The Caregiver Student Initiative (CSI) was born out of a crucial need identified in 2022 at UCLA—students juggling caregiving responsibilities for adult dependents were left unsupported. While resources existed for parenting students, those caring for adult relatives, such as parents or siblings, faced unique challenges without institutional support. This gap spurred the creation of CSI, a pioneering effort to address the unseen burdens of caregiving students and bring about meaningful change.
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A Personal Journey: From Vision to Advocacy
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The initiative began with Ashlie Dao, the founder of CSI, who was a student caregiver for her mother. Despite her immense responsibilities, she was turned away from support services because her dependent was over 18. This experience highlighted the stark contrast between the support provided to parenting students (those with minor dependents) and the lack of resources for students caring for adults. Caregivers like Ashlie do not receive the same rights and accommodations as those with minor children, revealing a systemic gap in services.
Rather than dwell on this disparity, it gave us something tangible to work toward—a vision of fairness and inclusivity, where caregiving students receive the same recognition and support as their parenting counterparts. This contrast underscores the urgency for policy change, but also provides a clear, concrete goal that BCS aims to achieve.
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milestones and accomplishments: raising the Voice of Caregivers​
Since CSI's inception, we have made significant strides in raising awareness and driving change for caregiving students:
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First-Ever UCLA Caregiver Student Survey: We conducted UCLA's inaugural caregiver student survey to gather vital data on the needs of caregiving students.
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Fundraiser & Partnerships: CSI partnered with campus organizations and launched successful fundraisers to support our initiatives and create lasting connections.
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Research Recognition: Our work gained widespread recognition, culminating in our founder Ashlie Dao receiving the Dean’s Prize for Excellence in Research and Creativity for her independent research project focused on caregiving students.
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Establishing BCS: A new chapter for caregiving students
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Building on the momentum of CSI, the Bruin Caregiving Scholars (BCS) was established to further the cause. BCS was founded to create a dedicated space where caregiving students can find support, build community, and advocate for policy changes to better serve their needs. We recognized that true, sustainable change could only happen through continued effort and expanded support.
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Our core objectives​
At BCS, we have two primary goals:
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Support Caregiving Students: We strive to provide resources, community, and a voice for students who are managing the dual roles of scholar and caregiver.
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Create Policy Change: We work to advocate for policies at UCLA that recognize the unique needs of caregiving students and expand support systems that are currently lacking.
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Looking ahead: our vision for growth​
Our vision is to grow BCS into a thriving, sustainable organization with dedicated board members and members who are passionate about making a difference. We aim to foster leadership, community building, and advocacy among our members, and we welcome anyone who believes in our cause to join us in creating a more inclusive and supportive university environment for caregiving students.