Attending UC Santa Cruz changed Christy Martin’s life in every way possible.
Martin (Rachel Carson ’88, computer and information science) was a first-generation college student and a sophomore transfer. She was grateful to have access to professors who kept her motivated and served as early role models for women in STEM. Martin also met her partner of 35 years, Cindy, in the Kerr Hall lab, and Santa Cruz has been her home ever since.
“UCSC changed my life in many ways,” Martin said. “My parents taught me to be an independent thinker, and going to a school that encouraged you to figure out who you were while you were in this creative, safe place made it a lot easier to launch my career and have the confidence to start my own technology services company.
Martin joined the UCSC Alumni Council in 2019 to reconnect with the UCSC and Santa Cruz community. She currently serves as the Vice President of Finance and says it is rewarding to help the university and its students. Martin enjoys learning more about the university’s different academic divisions and current student experiences and working with a diverse group of alumni councilors ranging from pioneer classes to recent graduates.
“I was the architect for a system used by the Genomics Institute a few years ago, and I was so impressed by their research,” Martin said. “It reminded me how much I missed being on campus. UCSC is a powerful network, and it’s always easy and fun to talk with other alumni. So I felt like joining the Alumni Council was a great way to get better connected into that community.”
Alumni Councilors are volunteer leaders who collaborate with UCSC staff to connect with and engage over 140,000 alumni, support student success, advocate for UCSC, fundraise to support campus initiatives, and ensure the alumni voice as part of UCSC’s culture and future. The Council manages endowments that sponsor student scholarships, college experiential learning programs, and provide support for student projects.
UCSC Alumni Council applications and recommendations are now open through March 10. Candidates will undergo an interview process, and the 2024 cohort will be selected to begin a two-year term on July 1.
“I would definitely recommend joining the Alumni Council,” Martin said. “It’s a great way to build skills and make new friends while you are supporting students and fellow alums via the Alumni Association programs and scholarship funds. There’s a lot that’s offered.”
Submit your Alumni Council application or nominate a fellow Slug today!
