News from UCLA Black Alumni Association

UCLA Black Alumni Association Newsletter

D'Artagnan Scorza entered UCLA in 1998 as a graduate of Morningside High School in Inglewood, CA. His studies were interrupted immediately following the events of September 11th, when he decided to join the U.S. Navy. While in the Navy, he became an Iraq-War Veteran and worked to increase cultural awareness by coordinating events for his unit that focused on African-American heritage.

Although he was away for four and a half years, his passion for education never died. He returned,with a greater sense of purpose and ready to make an impact on the world. In April of 2006, he returned to UCLA to resume his studies. D'Artagnan became a McNair Undergraduate Research Scholar where he developed culturally relevant curriculum for African-American male youth and worked to reduce recidivism, imprisonment and death rates in the community.

He was active in several community service projects including mentoring his African American peers at the Student Retention Center and was appointed as the student representative on the Chancellor's Enrollment Advisory Committee.

He was also a member of the Student Initiated Access Committee which utilizes a holistic empowerment model to provide academic preparation and life skills tools to underprivileged youth.

As a former member of the Afrikan Student Union (ASU) at UCLA, D'Artagnan held the position of Access Coordinator where he worked diligently to increase African-American enrollment at UCLA and throughout the University. As Access Coordinator, he served as a participant in the Alliance for Equal Opportunity in Education (AEOE) and the UCLA Task Force on African American Enrollment which helped to increase enrollment from 96 African-American students in 2006 to 213 African-American students in 2007.

Initially D'Artagnan remembers the "culture shock" when entering UCLA, but eventually he would learn to use his college experience to create change. D'Artagnan is a UCLA graduate with a B.A. in the Study of Religion from and also has a B.S. in Liberal Studies with an emphasis on Business Management from National University. Currently a Ph.D. student in the Department of Education at UCLA, he established the Black Male Youth Academy (BMYA) at Morningside High School. The BMYA was developed as a localized replicable model in order to provide education which supports positive identity development, increases academic achievement and expands opportunities for civic engagement.

Students graduating from the BMYA program have learned to navigate the educational system and remove barriers to their success. They are also encouraged to return to the community to create change.

D'Artagnan shares his personal experiences of growing up in a challenging family environment and instills the confidence the students need to pursue their goals.

As a member of the Board of Regents, University of California, D'Artagnan participated in the governance of the University. During his two year term as a UC Regent from 2007 through 2009, he was an outspoken advocate for equity and inclusion, affordability and access for future generations of students. His emphasis on clean energy and sustainable practices supported the University's policies on being climate friendly. He was also a strong supporter of academic preparation programs for grade levels P-16 and believes they help create a level playing field. D'Artagnan says serving on the Board of Regents was one of the most valuable experiences of his life.

Currently the Director of the Social Justice Learning Institute, a non-profit dedicated to the advancement of social justice in education, D'Artagnan remains committed to improving educational equity for all of our youth.