Student Experience

Thousands of future Slugs gather at UC Santa Cruz for Banana Slug Day

With tours, lectures, a campus welcome, and a lively resource fair, Banana Slug Day gave admitted students an immersive look at academics, support services, and student life, helping them picture their future at UC Santa Cruz.

April 27, 2026

By Stephanie Silva

Under umbrellas and wearing multicolored rain ponchos, thousands of admitted students and their families explored UC Santa Cruz during this year’s Banana Slug Day.

Held on April 11, the annual event welcomed more than 5,000 attendees, including 1,700 admitted students, for a full day of tours, lectures, panels, performances, and opportunities to connect with campus life.

“All day, I heard students say some version of, ‘I can definitely see myself here,’” said Timetra Hampton, associate vice chancellor of Enrollment Management and Director of Admissions. “Seeing that shift, from wondering to knowing, is so powerful. This is a moment when students are making one of the biggest decisions of their lives, and being here, even for a day, helps them feel what it’s really like to be part of our community.”

Across campus, students and families got a glimpse of what life at UC Santa Cruz could be like through personalized experiences and a choose-your-own-adventure schedule featuring a wide range of sessions and activities.

Lilli Alcantar, an admitted student from Modesto, came to Banana Slug Day with her mother and brother. Together, they attended a lecture, learned about undergraduate research and housing opportunities, saw a mock dorm room, met with a financial aid advisor, and took photos with Sammy.

Alcantar first visited UC Santa Cruz during a fourth-grade field trip, where she remembers being dwarfed by redwood trees and inspired by the students who smiled at her as they passed.

Returning this spring, Alcantar found herself seeing the campus as a place to call home. It was one of the reasons UC Santa Cruz was her top choice.

“I knew I wanted to go to a UC, but when I visited Santa Cruz, it just felt like a place I could build for myself,” she said. “It has everything I am looking for, and the sense of unity here just felt different.”

Alcantar plans to study sociology and pursue a career as a victim advocate. Between classes, she is looking forward to joining clubs, playing intramural softball, and painting watercolors in the redwoods or by the ocean.

Under dense rain clouds, the ocean views were more implied than seen, but the drizzle brought out banana slugs, and cries from families spotting the campus’s namesake mascot could be heard throughout the day.

Joey Goodnight, an admitted student from Southern California, said the rain gave the campus an extra shine.

Even before arriving on campus, Goodnight had already begun connecting with other admitted students and made plans to meet some of them at the beach after Banana Slug Day.

“I feel like this is a place where I’m finally going to be surrounded by other people who get it,” Goodnight said.

Planning to major in psychology, Goodnight chose UC Santa Cruz after being admitted to every school they applied to, drawn to the program’s broad, people-centered approach and the opportunity to pursue a career in rehabilitation counseling. 

“My passion is working with people, and I felt like Santa Cruz’s psychology program was better for that. I remember struggling with my final decision,” they said. “But every road kept pointing to Santa Cruz.”

Goodnight is excited to join a UC Santa Cruz residential college community and get involved in campus life, from the student newspaper to intramural sports and organizations like the Lionel Cantú Queer Center.

Goodnight and their mother checked out all the community resources at the East Field Resource Fair, where more than 75 campus groups shared information about programs, services, and student life. Under an expansive tent, students asked questions, made connections, and took the first steps toward getting involved. 

“Such a meaningful part of building a community is being a part of organizations that look at the issues that affect your group in the community,” said Goodnight. “It’s really important to me to be a part of that in college.”

At the Quarry Amphitheater, admitted students and their families gathered for a campus welcome, with remarks from Chancellor Cindy Larive and Student Union Assembly Chair Rigo Ventura. Later at Kresge College, distinguished alumna Meredith Turner (Rachel Carson ’09, history) reflected on her UC Santa Cruz experience and how it has stayed with her beyond graduation.

Behind the scenes, more than 200 student ambassadors and peer advisors, along with staff and faculty from across campus, helped bring the day together. The Undergraduate Admissions team led the effort, coordinating with partners across UC Santa Cruz to create a memorable experience.

For many students, the day helped turn a top choice into a clear decision.

“Banana Slug Day reflects our entire campus coming together,” said Michael Cervantes, senior associate director of marketing, outreach, and recruitment, who helped organize the event. “Everyone shows up to welcome future Slugs.”