At the UCI ANTrepreneur Center, we believe in providing our student entrepreneurs with the resources they need to succeed. Among these resources, affordable, convenient food options have always been a priority. Our collaboration with Choi Ramen has been a testament to this commitment, offering free ramen to our students and fueling their entrepreneurial journeys. Today, we are thrilled to announce a significant expansion of this collaboration, which will now extend to the UCI Basic Needs Center, further supporting our students’ well-being and success.
The Ramen Connection: Supporting Student Entrepreneurs
Ramen has long been a staple in the diet of college students, especially those balancing rigorous academic schedules with the demands of entrepreneurship. Quick, affordable, and easy to prepare, ramen is the go-to meal for many budding entrepreneurs. Recognizing its importance, the UCI ANTrepreneur Center forged a collaboration with Choi Ramen, a brand owned by UCI alumni Carol and Eugene Choi. The collaboration began as a way to ensure our students had access to this essential fuel.
Ryan Foland, Director of the UCI ANTrepreneur Center, reflected on the significance of this collaboration: “It’s great to see the Choi Ramen brand expand its footprint on campus to support more students. Food insecurity is a real thing, and having access to ramen can help. We have found that our ANTrepreneur students love ramen, especially when it is free.”
Expanding the Collaboration: Ramen at the Basic Needs Center
Building on the success of the initial collaboration, we are excited to announce that Choi Ramen will now be available at the UCI Basic Needs Center starting in week three of Fall Quarter 2024. This new initiative is aimed at supporting a broader range of students, particularly those who may be facing food insecurity.
Food insecurity is a significant challenge for college students across the United States. Recent data indicates that about 23% of undergraduate students experience food insecurity, with rates even higher among certain demographics, such as first-generation students and those from minority groups. Food insecurity is not just a financial issue; it is also linked to lower academic performance and graduation rates. For example, less than half of food-insecure first-generation students manage to graduate from college, compared to 76% of food-secure, non-first-generation students (The Hope Center) (ScienceDaily).
The Basic Needs Center at UCI is dedicated to ensuring that all students have access to essential resources, including food and housing. By collaborating with Choi Ramen, the Basic Needs Center can now offer students an additional food option that is delicious and convenient. This collaboration is more than just about providing food; it’s about supporting students’ overall well-being and helping them succeed academically and personally.
Carol Choi, UCI alumna, and the President of Choi Ramen, shared her enthusiasm for expanding access to food options at UCI: “Eugene and I always take time out of my day to ask myself how I can do more to positively impact our community at scale – help in a meaningful way. We’re aware that many students today face food insecurity, and it troubles us. In building our brands and products, we maintain an ethos of great gratitude and giving back. Choi Ramen was developed on those foundational principles. Instant ramen that gives back. We’re proud and eager to donate Choi Ramen to the UCI Basic Needs Hub, to share a delicious bowl of ramen with the UCI community.”
How the Collaboration Will Work
To ensure the success of this new initiative, the UCI ANTrepreneur Center will coordinate the delivery of Choi Ramen to the Basic Needs Center. The collaboration will be run as a pilot program, allowing us to gather feedback from students and adjust the offering based on their needs.
In addition to providing ramen at the Basic Needs Center, we are also introducing new micro-internships to help spread awareness about this valuable resource. The UCI ANTrepreneur Center plans to hire micro-intern Ramen Brand Ambassadors. These student ambassadors will be tasked with promoting the availability of free ramen at both the ANTrepreneur Center and at the Basic Needs Hub, engaging with their peers through events, social media, and other creative outreach efforts.
Arturo Escalera, Marketing Manager at United Exchange Corp., shared his enthusiasm for the new collaboration: “We have enjoyed working with the ANTrepreneur Center for almost two years now, making sure that they have all the ramen they need to feed their ANTrepreneurs. We see this new collaboration as a way to help the Choi brand give back to more students. We envision fun contests, content, and social media collaborations to help bring awareness to this new ramen access point.”
Supporting Student Success
This collaboration between the UCI ANTrepreneur Center, Choi Ramen, and the UCI Basic Needs Center is more than just about providing food; it’s about creating a supportive environment where students can thrive. With the addition of Ramen Brand Ambassadors, we aim to ensure that every student is aware of and can take advantage of this resource, whether they are working hard on a startup, side hustle, or social impact business at UCI ANTrepreneur Center or visiting the Basic Needs Center for essential supplies.
Ryan Foland summed up the initiative: “Making ramen available at the Basic Needs Center is a great step to support more students. We are committed to finding innovative ways to foster student success, and this effort is another example of how we are working to meet their needs. It’s especially meaningful to partner with Carol and Eugene Choi, who have supported the ANTrepreneur Center from day one and are eager to give back to the UCI community.”
As we move forward, we are ready to see the impact this collaboration will have on our campus community. For more information, visit our website.