Arts & Culture

Celebrating the Humanities at UC Santa Cruz

The inaugural UC Santa Cruz Celebrating The Humanities gathering at the Seymour Center made a powerful case for the relevance, impact, and career power of humanistic learning.  The event drew over 300 people.

May 29, 2025

By Dan White

The inaugural UC Santa Cruz Celebrating The Humanities gathering at the Seymour Center made a powerful case for the relevance, impact, and career power of humanistic learning. 

The event, a merger of the Humanities’ Spring Awards ceremony and its Employing Humanities initiative, drew over 300 people. 

At the heart of Celebrating Humanities was a networking reception that highlighted the outstanding work of Humanities students, giving visitors an immersive look at the division’s experiential learning programs: Humanities EXPLORE, Humanities EXCEL, and The Humanities Institute’s Undergraduate Research Fellows. 

“These students are asking urgent, transformative questions—about what it means to be human, to build just societies, and to shape a future grounded in democratic engagement,” said Humanities Dean Jasmine Alinder at the ceremony. “This celebration is not just about recognition—it’s about the power of the Humanities to shape lives, careers, and the future we’re building together.”

“As I’ve said before and will continue to say: the Humanities must play a central role in addressing the complex challenges of our time,” Alinder said. “At UC Santa Cruz, we are both thinkers and doers. If we want to bolster democracy and build a more equitable world, we need the Humanities—and we need every one of you: your questions, your ideas, your vision, and your work.”

The highlight of the event was the showcase, where students from experiential learning programs shared their exceptional work and contributions.

Humanities EXCEL and Humanities EXPLORE fellows had an opportunity to create digital portfolios to highlight their projects and reflections, while THI Research Fellows presented posters.  The museum was vibrant as students were energized to talk about their research and experiences with faculty, community members, and fellow students.  

EXPLORE and EXCEL are collaborative programs co-sponsored by both the Humanities Division and The Humanities Institute (THI). They are integral to both the division’s and THI’s broader commitment to supporting student research and engagement in the humanities.

Humanities EXPLORE: an immersive research experience for students

Humanities EXPLORE offers students the opportunity to join faculty-led research projects, where they gain mentorship and hands-on experience.

Languages and Applied Linguistics Professor Josefina Bittar spoke about the valuable assistance her undergraduate researchers, Nora Logtti (Applied Linguistics) and Gigi Lea (Applied Linguistics), provided on the Multilingual Corpus of Paraguay project, digitally showcased here. 

Bittar proudly shared that Nora “single-handedly created a system to organize all the audio, video, and PDF files, and she synchronized video and audio files using the video editing skills that I lack” while Gigi brought her “passion for bilingualism, Spanish language skills, and positive attitude towards learning and working” on transcribing long unstructured interviews.”

In addition to Bittar’s project, the EXPLORE program’s research showcase featured seventy-four undergraduates who participated in forty projects with dedicated faculty mentors representing every department in the Humanities.

Humanities EXCEL: building bridges with community organizations 

EXPLORE’s sister program, Humanities EXCEL, places students in off-campus internships with community organizations, where they can develop practical skills while contributing to social change.  Community partner and mentor Yvette Brooks, the former Executive Director of Your Future is Our Business, mentored two EXCEL fellows, Kyle Johnson (Literature minor) and Emily Moua (Critical Race & Ethnic Studies earlier this year. 

Brooks is now the CEO of United Way Santa Cruz County, where three EXCEL Fellows work closely with her colleagues on the Community Impact and Marketing teams. 

Brooks spoke about how impactful paid experiential learning is and how her experience with EXCEL fellows has made a measurable impact on the organizations she has worked with.

The 2024-2025 EXCEL cohort of thirty-eight interns features their contributions on the internship digital showcase. 

THI Undergraduate Research Fellowships support undergraduate students to propose a project, mentored by a faculty member, and conduct research on that topic throughout the academic year.

THI gives students feedback and support to prepare their research projects for a poster presentation. 

Fellows shared their posters at the Celebrating The Humanities event and talked with attendees about their experiences conducting the research. 

With initiatives like Employing Humanities, which launched in 2023 with support from the Mellon Foundation, the Helen and Will Webster Foundation, and other funders, UC Santa Cruz Humanities has expanded access to paid internships and research opportunities in the past two years while supporting over 200 student positions. The Division has increased experiential learning opportunities by 761% in two years.

A crowd of 300 people attended the Celebrating Humanities event at the Seymour Center

An evening of honors

New Yorker staff writer and Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Finnegan (Cowell, ‘74, English literature) was honored with this year’s Humanities Distinguished Undergraduate Alumni Award. (read the UC Santa Cruz News interview with Finnegan.)

During the gathering, the Humanities division also announced its awards for undergraduate excellence.

Three students received both the Dean’s and Chancellor’s Awards for their work: 

• Molly Maher (History, Psychology) was recognized for The ClubHouse, a compelling exploration of social dynamics and digital culture, under the mentorship of Marc Matera.
• Sabrina Nguyen (Classical Studies, History, Literature) earned accolades for Does Freedom Mean Free? Manumission, Marriage, and Public Perception in the Roman Empire, a historical inquiry guided by Martin Devecka.
• Ella Villar (Critical Race & Ethnic Studies, History of Art & Visual Culture) was honored for Beyond Occupation: Palestinian Solidarity Art and Futurity, an insightful analysis of resistance and hope in visual culture, mentored by Iokepa Casumbal-Salazar.

Seven additional students received Dean’s Awards for their standout contributions to humanities scholarship:

• Jonas Amaya (Philosophy, Legal Studies) examined theories of consciousness in Phenomenal Consciousness in Complex Adaptive Systems under Panpsychism and the Integrated Information Theory of Consciousness, mentored by Philip Groth.
• Emmy Ceron (Feminist Studies) explored music and activism in Bad Bunny: Music with a Purpose, working with mentor Madhavi Murty.
• Vairagya Eiger (History of Art & Visual Culture) investigated cultural memory and identity in Adorned in Exile: Algerian Jewish Jewelry as Memory, Identity, and Resistance, mentored by Alma Heckman.
• Sophia Larsen (Literature) delved into theology and philosophy in Calling God to the Podium: How the Ironies in the Book of Job Structure Modern Theistic and Absurdist Understandings of Faith, Justice, and Judaism, with guidance from Bruce Thompson.
• Michael Robinson (Classical Studies, History) tracked artistic reinterpretation in From Bacchus and Midas Through Nationalism to Eroticism and Pop Art: How the Barberini Faun Has Been Shaped by Shifting Cultural Norms, mentored by Elaine Sullivan.
• Valerie Sainz (History, History of Art & Visual Culture) brought historical nuance to Kateri Tekakwitha: Praise from the Pulpit, Power in the Pines (1626–1680), with mentor Gregory O’Malley.
• Ava O’Connor (Literature) and Mary Zimmerle (Literature) co-authored The English Mummy, a unique study in cultural fascination with death, also mentored by Elaine Sullivan.

Four students received the related Humanities Dean’s Excellence Awards to honor their educational work in the division. These students are Aisha Lemseffer (Legal studies, Spanish Studies, Politics minor), Tabitha Ozaki (Literature), Vivian Suthikarn Zalunardo (History, Politics), and Ethan Strom (History). 

These projects reflect the depth and diversity of inquiry that define the Humanities at UC Santa Cruz, spanning ancient history, cultural studies, religion, art, and emerging technologies.

Nicholas Mitchell (she/her), Associate Professor of Critical Race & Ethnic Studies and Feminist Studies, was honored with this year’s John Dizikes Faculty Teaching Award. The Dizikes Award allows Mitchell to extend scholarships to two undergraduates, Aamir Asadi (Critical Race & Ethnic Studies, Robotics Engineering) and Esmerelda Hurtado (Critical Race & Ethnic Studies). It commemorates and honors John Dizikes, a professor emeritus of American Studies and a founding member of the UC Santa Cruz faculty who died in 2018. He was known for his powerful ability to inspire and engage generations. 

Mitchell gave a brief and ebullient speech.

“I really wanted this award because the award comes from the students,” said Mitchell. Mitchell said that her proudest achievement is her mentorship work. “We often talk about academic mentorship as if it is parents and children,” Mitchell aside. “I think it’s about learning to struggle and grow together.”  

Mitchell spoke of “anchoring” students who elevate classroom discussions by asking great questions, “raising the bar of the discussions in the class and following the words we speak to their logical conclusions.” 

Endowed awards

Celebrating the Humanities was also a chance to honor students who received endowed scholarship awards. 

Mars Nored (Critical Race & Ethnic Studies) was awarded the Jay Family Humanities Scholarship Award, made possible by the generosity of Literature alum Greg Jay (Class of 1974) and Martha Jay. This scholarship recognizes an undergraduate student with financial need who demonstrates a strong interest in the study of the humanities and has an academic focus on social justice and diversity.

Emily Tran (History, Art & Design: Playable Games & Media) received the David A. Kadish Humanities Scholarship, established by History alum David Kadish (Class of 1973). The scholarship supports students with financial need who are committed to studying the humanities.

Avery Miller Shevelev (Feminist Studies) and Skyla Tomine (Feminist Studies, Politics) were named the recipients of the Bettina Aptheker Award for Research on Sexual, Gendered, & Racial Violence. This award honors the work of UC Santa Cruz Distinguished Professor Emerita Bettina Aptheker and supports students conducting research or community service related to these critical issues.

Sophia Isabelle Thoman (Classical Studies) received the Sol & Esther Draznin Memorial Scholarship in Classical Studies, established by Classics alumnus James Draznin to honor his parents and support students in classical studies. The award was also recognized during the annual Carl Mark Deppe Memorial Lecture on May 16th.

Sofia Nordvedt (Literature) is this year’s recipient of the Kenneth Andrew Gram Memorial Scholarship, created by John and Dawn Gram in memory of their son, a UC Santa Cruz Creative Writing graduate who passed away in 2009. The award is presented to a Creative Writing student who demonstrates financial need and a deep intellectual curiosity.

Zoe Towne (Philosophy) has been awarded the Dr. Raihan Kadri Memorial Scholarship, honoring Philosophy alumnus Dr. A. Raihan Kadri (Class of 1998). Established by his partner Tracy Longley-Cook, this scholarship supports a student committed to philosophical studies.

Emily Tran (History, Art & Design: Playable Games & Media) is also the recipient of the Siobhan O’Neill Memorial Scholarship, which honors the legacy of UCSC History alum Siobhan O’Neill. The award supports history majors with interests in art or government.

Lila Morrill(Biology) won 1st place in the Don Rothman Endowed Award in First-Year Writing, recognizing excellence in nonfiction academic writing.

Roberto Lopez (Computer Science) received 2nd place, Ella Banchieri (Linguistics, Theater) took 3rd place, and Isaac Loke (Biomolecular Engineering & Bioinformatics) received an Honorable Mention in the same category. The award, founded by longtime Writing Program faculty member Don Rothman, celebrates first-year students’ writing achievements.

Jesús Molina (History) has been named the recipient of the Mollie Cass Sater Memorial Scholarship in Jewish Studies, established by Professor William F. Sater in memory of his mother. The scholarship supports students with financial need who show a strong interest in Jewish Studies.