From the moment she first visited UC Santa Cruz, Cali Kimura knew it was special. The towering redwoods, the fresh ocean air, and the quiet stillness of the campus instantly drew her in.
“It was the first time I visited a college campus and really saw my future.”
Now in her third year at UCSC, Kimura (John R. Lewis ’26, molecular, cell and developmental biology) is making strides towards her goal of working in women’s health. In 2024 she was awarded the Weiss Family Scholarship.
Established in 2005 by Timothy and Jean Weiss, the Weiss Family Scholarship Endowment provides scholarships to support students in Colleges Nine and Ten based on merit.
“I’m a first-generation college student, and it is truly such an honor to be recognized and to receive this scholarship. I feel incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to study in a higher education institution. This scholarship will help me accomplish my goal of becoming a physician’s assistant specializing in women’s health.”
Postgrad, Kimura seeks to advance health equity.
“I would love to be able to do work in public health and policy to make our healthcare system more equitable and accessible, and to provide support to communities whom the healthcare system has failed in the past.”
For incoming UCSC students, Kimura’s advice is to take every experience as an opportunity.
“Every experience can be a gift depending on how you see it,” she said. “All of my life experiences have taught me something new and helped me grow into the person I am today and I look back on them with gratitude and excitement for the future.”
