Student Affairs Director Robin Jeffers Retires, Student Support Fund Established

Sept. 26, 2024 - This was the first fall in 28 years in which incoming engineering students did not have the friendly face of Robin Jeffers around to greet them at Welcome Week. The director of Undergraduate Student Affairs retired this past spring. In June, nearly 100 family, friends, colleagues, alumni and students attended a retirement celebration, where the establishment of the Robin Perry Jeffers Endowed Undergraduate Student Support Fund was announced.

Jeffers joined UCI in 1996 as director of the Center for Opportunities and Diversity in Engineering (CODE) and served in this role until 2014. In 2005, she also became director for Undergraduate Student Affairs and has provided a warm welcome to each new crop of engineering students for the past nearly 20 years.

During her tenure, Jeffers enhanced the recruitment, retention and mentoring of engineering students, including those historically underrepresented. She also built a staff of dedicated academic advisers and oversaw a major expansion of Undergraduate Student Affairs as both faculty numbers and undergraduate enrollments increased. In 2019, she also became director of Curriculum and Accreditation (the CASA office).

“Robin has consistently served the school and students with knowledge, dedication and most importantly with heart. It is no coincidence that so many students stay in contact with her – her guidance has been important to their success both at UCI and beyond,” wrote Magnus Egerstedt, dean of engineering, and Nancy DaSilva, associate dean for undergraduate student affairs, in an announcement to school staff and faculty.  

Alumnus Lily Wu ’07 Ph.D., ’01 B.S., is one of those students. She still remembers the first time she stepped into Jeffers’ office in the engineering classroom trailer to ask her to be a reference for her internship application. “Robin’s kind demeaner immediately calmed me,” said Wu.  “Not only did I receive her consent to be my reference, but also her encouragement for me as a student.” 

Today Wu is the faculty director of International Programs at the Samueli School of Engineering and an assistant adjunct professor in biomedical engineering. “Because of Robin’s kind comments about my academic performance, I obtained my first internship position at General Electric,” said Wu. “Through years of interaction, Robin has been a key figure in the school who inspires me to become who I am today and to passionately serve students.”    

Marvin Maldonado ‘06 says that Jeffers is the reason he made it through to graduation. “I often found myself in her office trying to figure out if I could actually make it as an engineer but I always left feeling reassured and more confident,” said Maldonado, UCOP undergraduate programs lead for MESA. He recalls how she always kept her door open and greeted students with her gentle voice and warm smile, and she had an M&M dispenser on her

desk. “She was like our ‘mom’ at UCI and understood our challenges as first-generation, minority students in engineering. She continues to be a mentor and someone I turn to for career advice.”

At the retirement celebration, the formation of a $100,000 endowment was announced to honor Jeffers’ legacy. The Robin Perry Jeffers Endowed Undergraduate Student Support Fund will help engineering students in need of emergency support. And a ZotFunder has been created for all those who would like to contribute.

“Robin has had an enormous impact on students,’” said John La Rue, professor emeritus of mechanical and aerospace engineering and a former associate dean. La Rue hired Jeffers 28 years ago. “The students adored her and this endowment will continue her legacy and impact students, year after year, even after her retirement.”

Jeffers thanked everyone for coming to the celebration. She said that the UCI engineering school was a special place. “I’ve met wonderful people here and there is a strong sense of community with faculty, staff and students. It’s the students who have sustained me; they bring me joy.”

– Lori Brandt