Half of UC Irvine’s 2018 bachelor’s degree graduates are first-generation college students

For the second year in a row, half of UC Irvine’s graduates receiving bachelor’s degrees are first-generation college students, according to the university.

A total of 8,616 bachelor’s degrees will be awarded this academic year, with 4,305 going to students whose parents did not attend college. Commencement ceremonies will be held Friday through Monday at the Bren Events Center.

“This graduating class continues to highlight how well UCI serves the people of our state by offering a world-class education to our best and brightest students, regardless of their financial circumstances, and acting as a powerful engine of upward economic mobility,” Chancellor Howard Gillman said in a statement.

Overall, UCI will award about 9,800 undergraduate and graduate degrees this academic year.

The university will award bachelor’s degrees to 2,014 Latino students, almost double the number of five years ago and more than triple the total from 10 years ago, according to a news release.

UCI received more fall 2018 applications from California Latino high school students than any other University of California campus, according to the university.

Priscella.Vega@latimes.com

Twitter: @vegapriscella