June 1, 2026

Gold sycamore leaves lie in the Maya Lin water table in the Claire Trevor School of the Arts plaza. (Photo by Steve Zylius / UC Irvine)

UC IRVINE NEWS

A different kind of classroom

In the early years of UC Irvine – when the campus felt more like open countryside than a research powerhouse – a small, unconventional school took root at the edge of campus, known simply as the Farm School. As UC Irvine continues to mark its 60th anniversary, the story of the Farm School offers a window into the university’s founding ethos: a willingness to question norms, test new ideas and build community in unexpected ways.

The 10-year ripple effect

Ten years ago, the Master of Legal and Forensic Psychology program at UC Irvine was less of an institution and more of a shared act of faith. The initial cohort consisted of only 17 students. Today, as the MLFP program hits its milestone decade mark, the landscape looks remarkably different. The tiny operation has grown into a powerhouse, drawing around 185 applications per cycle from prospective students across the U.S. who are hoping to fill one of approximately 60 slots.

A bridge to independent living

An architectural drawing of the new rehabilitation hospital.

The new UCI Health – Irvine Rehabilitation Hospital will expand critical care services for patients recovering from trauma, stroke, burn, brain and spinal cord injury when it opens this summer. It will nearly quadruple the academic health system’s capacity to help these patients improve their quality of life. “We will offer top-line, post-acute rehabilitation care right here in Orange County, serving our six acute care hospitals,” said Dr. Jay Han, medical director of the 52-bed facility. “We will become the premier center for the region, the destination for people in need of state-of-the-art rehabilitative care.”

Remember to vote

As part of UC Irvine’s ongoing commitment to civic engagement and accessibility, on-campus vote centers for California’s June 2 Primary Election will be available at three campus locations – the Gateway Study Center across from the Langson Library, the Palo Verde Community Room and the University Hills Community Room. The vote centers will be open for in-person voting, same-day registration and ballot drop-off on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. We encourage all eligible voters to take advantage of the convenience of on-campus voting to make their voices heard. In addition, you can drop off your ballot at a Vote Center or the ballot drop box on the corner of Campus Drive and West Peltason, next to the kiosk at the entrance to parking lot 5. For information about voter registration, ballot details and additional Vote Center locations, please visit the county elections website.

UC NEWS

SpeechMatters podcast: How state legislatures are reshaping higher education

In this episode of the SpeechMatters podcast, Laura Benitez, senior manager, state policy and government affairs for U.S. Free Expression Programs at PEN America, shares her thoughts on the impact of state legislation on academic freedom, shared governance, curriculum and expression.

#IamUCI

A friendship forged in physics and math

When Luke Xia (right) and Vincent Caudillo (left) arrive at Stanford this fall to begin their Ph.D. programs in physics, they will bring more than their UC Irvine degrees – they will bring the friendship that helped them get there.

#UCIconnected spotlights interesting updates from the UC Irvine community. #IamUCI spotlights profiles of students, faculty, staff and alumni. Send submissions via email or post on social media with the #UCIconnected or #IamUCI hashtags.

UC IRVINE NEWSMAKERS

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