About us
We're Student Bees
UCSB students helping our Santa Barbara neighbors, one task at a time.
Our mission
Why We Do This
Student Bees connects Santa Barbara and Goleta residents with UCSB students who can help with everyday tasks, from tech questions to yard work. Our mission is simple: make life a little easier for our neighbors, give students meaningful work, and build real friendships across generations along the way.
Our story
How Student Bees Began
Student Bees started at UC Santa Barbara, when three students realized they shared the same idea. Koa had grown up in San Francisco helping neighbors with odd jobs and caring for his grandmother. Koa and Zane were roommates, and together with Samai they saw the same need in Santa Barbara: plenty of residents who could use a helping hand, and plenty of students looking for flexible work that actually matters.
With guidance from UCSB's New Venture Program and from professors and local mentors, we spent months listening before taking a single job. We talked with more than 100 people, including Santa Barbara residents, families, and local organizations, about the tasks they struggle to keep up with. We used what we heard to make booking and scheduling as simple as possible.
Every job is a win-win.
Residents get reliable help with the tasks they can't do or would rather not do. Students earn money while getting to know people they might never have met otherwise. That last part turned out to matter most: many of our clients have become friends.
Today, Student Bees is a growing team of UCSB students serving Santa Barbara and Goleta. We're still growing the same way we started: one neighbor at a time.
The team
Meet the Founders
Koa Papandrew
Co-Founder
Koa is a third-year Biology major at UCSB, a certified EMT, and a co-founder of Student Bees. Growing up in San Francisco, he helped care for his grandmother, and that experience gave him a lasting passion for supporting seniors. Years of volunteering with local organizations taught him how much it matters to show up for the community you live in.
Samai Dhaliwal
Co-Founder
Samai is a senior Communication major at UCSB and a co-founder of Student Bees. He's passionate about connecting generations and helping older adults feel supported in their everyday lives. Whether he's walking a client through a new phone or leading a community workshop, Samai focuses on building lasting relationships and creating meaningful ways for students to give back to Santa Barbara.
Zane Pinedo
Co-Founder
Zane is a third-year Economics major at UCSB and a co-founder of Student Bees. Outside of class he works in sales, where he's learned that the best part of any job is the people. He loves getting to know people whose lives and stories are different from his own, and he brings that same curiosity and warmth to every visit.
Our team
Meet Our Bees
The friendly UCSB students you might see at your door.
Reza
Muheeb
Zaher
Ben
Christian
Real jobs, real neighbors. Every photo is from a Student Bees visit.
Peace of mind
Why You Can Trust Us
Students We Know Personally
Every Student Bee is a current UCSB student we've met, trained, and work alongside. You'll know who's coming before they arrive.
Clear, Upfront Pricing
$45–60/hr with a 2-hour minimum. We confirm the plan and the estimate with you before any work begins. No surprises.
We Make It Right
We follow up after every visit. If something isn't right, tell us and we'll come back to fix it.
Built on Referrals
Started in San Francisco and grown in Santa Barbara through word of mouth. Our reputation is everything to us.
“I feel like I learned a few things I can actually do by myself next time. That's pretty amazing. It was a pleasure getting to know you.”
Daphne K.
Santa Barbara