Campus News
A Day to Say Yes: Admitted students find belonging on Banana Slug Day
Banana Slug Day welcomed more than 6,500 admitted students and guests to UC Santa Cruz for a celebration of academics, community, and student life. From mock lectures to cherry blossom selfies, the event helped students imagine their future as Banana Slugs.
Over 120 student workers help bring Banana Slug Day to life each year.
For thousands of admitted students, Banana Slug Day is more than a campus visit. It’s a chance to see what college life could be like and imagine their future at UC Santa Cruz.
This year’s event, held Saturday, April 12, welcomed more than 6,500 admitted students and guests to UC Santa Cruz for a campuswide celebration of community, academics, and student life. From mock lectures and resource fairs to cultural programming and cherry-blossom selfies, the day was designed to help admitted students picture themselves at home at UC Santa Cruz.
“The energy was so fantastic,” said UC Santa Cruz Chancellor Cynthia Larive, who spoke to prospective Slugs and their families at a number of the gatherings, noting the opportunities UC Santa Cruz students have to learn from world-class faculty and to explore their passions, whatever they may be.
She also recounted her experience as a parent when her daughters were deciding where to attend college. “This is such a transformational time for families. I remember feeling both exhilarated and a little anxious. That’s why student support is so essential. It’s something we focus on. Students are in caring hands here at UC Santa Cruz. I can’t think of a better place from which to launch them into the world.”
A campus-wide event coordinated by Undergraduate Admissions, Banana Slug Day featured student-led tours, faculty talks, divisional welcomes, and countless opportunities to connect with student services, academic departments, and future mentors. More than 70 campus groups took part in the East Field Resource Fair, and over 120 student workers helped guide and support guests throughout the day.
“Banana Slug Day is the highlight of the year for me because it’s when all the hard work of the team culminates in us looking into the faces of the students whose lives we have impacted in such a positive way,” said Timetra Hampton, director of undergraduate admissions. “The excitement of the students and families as they learn more about campus and can see themselves as a part of our community is amazing. The energy of the day is simply unmatched—and we couldn’t have asked for better weather.”
“Students are in caring hands here at UC Santa Cruz. I can’t think of a better place from which to launch them into the world.”
UC Santa Cruz Chancellor Cynthia Larive
Among this year’s student workers was Brody Stayner, a second-year psychology major from San Diego who attended Banana Slug Day himself just two years earlier.
“I remember being super nervous,” he said. “But we sat in Quarry Plaza and saw the redwoods and the amphitheater, and I just thought, wow. This place is amazing.”
While UCSC was already Brody’s top choice, that visit sealed the deal, “You get the experience of a top research school, but it never feels like you’re competing with other Slugs. Everyone here just wants to help each other have a great experience.”
This year, he returned to Banana Slug Day as a tour guide. “I wanted to be a calming, familiar face for students who might be freaked out,” he said. “And I wanted them to know it’s okay to be unsure about it all because I was, too.”
“You get the experience of a top research school, but it never feels like you’re competing with other Slugs. Everyone here just wants to help each other have a great experience.”
Brody Stayner
Brody guided families across campus, pointed out favorite spots like the Porter meadow and the East Field view, and shared his journey as a first-generation student who found his place at UC Santa Cruz. One family he met early in the day ended up asking him for directions three more times.
“You could tell the student was excited and so thankful to see me each time,” he said. “I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for him in the fall. I’m already a friend on campus.”
Later in the day, something familiar caught his eye. “I saw families taking pictures under the cherry blossom tree near Porter, and it brought me back,” Brody said. “My dad and I did the same thing when I visited. Seeing that from the other side was pretty heartwarming.”
This year marked UC Santa Cruz’s largest Banana Slug Day ever, with broad participation from academic divisions, departments, and student services. The impact was immediate–over 500 attendees submitted their Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) during the weekend, officially joining the Banana Slug community. Plans are already underway to expand it even further next year.
“As event director, we’re proud of what this year’s Banana Slug Day accomplished,” said Michael Cervantes, Senior Associate Director of Marketing, Outreach & Recruitment for Undergraduate Admissions. “We’re excited to bring even more campus partners into the experience next year. Campus events like this help admitted students and their families truly see themselves as part of the UC Santa Cruz community.”
For Brody, helping welcome the next generation of Slugs was especially meaningful. His own first year at UC Santa Cruz came with homesickness and uncertainty, but he leaned into the very resources now showcased at Banana Slug Day.
“I joined clubs, played intramural beach volleyball, took advantage of student resources, and talked to some wonderful academic advisors,” he said. “I did everything I could to build connections. And that’s what made me stay.”
Now, as a guide and mentor, he wants others to know what’s possible. “Banana Slug Day puts it all out there–the support, the opportunities, the people. I hope students left feeling excited, and a little more confident that they can find their place here too.”
Next up: Transfer Day, a campuswide welcome event on May 10 for admitted transfer students to connect with the community and explore campus. This year’s keynote speaker is alumna and former transfer student Reyna Grande (Kresge ’99, creative writing, film and video), whose memoir A Dream Called Home was recently named one of the best books of the 21st century! The first 200 admitted transfer students to arrive will receive a free copy.