Victor Simoes | Daily Bruin reporter

Simoes is a News reporter and a Photo contributor. He is a second-year cognitive science and economics student from Los Angeles.

A Closer Look

April 10, 2026 9:04 a.m.

Fans flood Pauley Pavilion to celebrate UCLA women’s basketball’s first NCAA title

When Nina Westbrook played for UCLA women’s basketball, her team never made it past the second round of the NCAA tournament.
But on Sunday, the former UCLA basketball player had the chance to watch her former team take it all the way.

By Victor Simoes

A Closer Look

April 9, 2026 11:51 p.m.

Q&A: UCLA’s Latinx Success Center’s director is dedicated to institutional change

The Latinx Success Center celebrated its one-year anniversary March 31.
Daily Bruin reporter Victor Simoes sat down with Arlene Cano Matute, the LSC’s inaugural executive director, to discuss the center’s first year.

By Victor Simoes

News

March 26, 2026 9:31 p.m.

North Westwood Neighborhood Council recap – March 4

The North Westwood Neighborhood Council elected a new at-large board member at its monthly meeting March 4.
The council, which represents UCLA and Westwood Village, meets on the first Wednesday of every month at UCLA’s Weyburn Terrace.

By Victor Simoes

Higher Education

Feb. 13, 2026 9:53 p.m.

Trump administration drops appeal of order blocking $1.2 billion UCLA settlement

This post was updated Feb. 16 at 11:18 p.m.
The Trump administration on Friday dropped its appeal of a decision that blocked it from demanding a $1.2 billion settlement from UCLA.

By Josephine Murphy and Victor Simoes

Campus

Feb. 11, 2026 10:35 a.m.

LA City Controller rallies, encourages youth political involvement at UCLA event

The Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia encouraged young people to get involved in politics and use social media as a political tool at a Wednesday UCLA event.

By Victor Simoes

A Closer Look

Jan. 30, 2026 10:38 p.m.

Music tuned to shape UCLA dining hall experiences through curated playlists

This post was updated Feb. 1 at 10:11 p.m.
UCLA Dining employees curate specialized playlists for diners to enjoy, from Epicuria at Covel’s European melodies to Bruin Plate’s upbeat soundtrack.

By Victor Simoes

Campus

Jan. 29, 2026 10:46 p.m.

Students gather for vigil honoring people killed by federal agents

This post was updated Feb. 2 at 12:15 a.m.
More than 200 people gathered at a Thursday vigil to honor people killed amid the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign.
The event – organized in part by the Afrikan Student Union, Bruin Democrats and members of the Undergraduate Students Association Council – was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

By Maggie Konecky and Victor Simoes

A Closer Look

Dec. 4, 2025 9:26 p.m.

UC Regent Jose Hernandez comments on tuition hikes, personal background

UC Regent Jose Hernandez expressed approval for recent tuition hikes and spoke about his background as a migrant farmworker at a fireside chat in the Latinx Success Center on Nov.

By Victor Simoes

A Closer Look

Dec. 4, 2025 12:19 p.m.

Bruin Financial Aid scholarship delays, costly overawards spark frustrations

This post was updated Dec. 4 at 2:07 p.m.
Jeanneth Chavez – a third-year sociology student and single mother – said she chose to transfer to UCLA after community college because she believed it would allow her to graduate debt-free.