Students
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Desiderio Ascencio
Halfway through Desi Ascencio’s undergraduate years, he got work at a research lab, then was accepted as a summer research assistant for the STEM Diversity Programs. Both of these environments were pivotal to his finding the confidence to explore his interests as a student and as a scientist.
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Evanjelin Mahmoodi
Evanjelin Mahmoodi knew she was interested in STEM fields when she arrived at UC Santa Cruz but soon discovered she especially liked mathematics. Now she’s graduating with a double major in mathematics and computer science.
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Jeven Zarate-McCoy
In his four years at UCSC, Jeven Zarate-McCoy has served in various lead roles and officer positions with the Game Design and Arts Collaboration student group and is capping his final year as president.
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Jonah Gertz
Jonah Gertz tried to choose between his two academic passions: intensive history and music. But, he said, the choice was impossible since he was surrounded by so many different opportunities to grow as both a historian and musician.
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Joslyn Chu
Joslyn Chu loved psychology before arriving at UCSC and planned to follow that path. But after a couple of classes she soon fell in love with the issues of Oceania and climate change, particularly how “people in Oceania are using art as a form of activism to spread awareness of effects of climate change,” she…
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Katharina Pierini
The qualities of patience, perseverance, focus, hard work, and striving to achieve an elusive goal helped Katharina Pierini hold the course toward a UC Santa Cruz diploma, an educational path she completed in spite of a 27-year-long delay and a devastating wildfire.
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Montserrat Lopez
Montserrat Lopez dedicated her college career to art, outreach, activism, and giving back to the communities that have sustained her. With her far-ranging goals and ambitious course of study, Lopez had not a minute to lose when she transferred to UC Santa Cruz last year.
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Nabeela Ariqat
Nabeela Ariqat, a first-generation college student, hoped for a new beginning at UC Santa Cruz, which she attended in part because “I felt like I could be who I was,” she said.
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Nicholas Hidy
It’s tough being a performing arts major when all the performing arts spaces are shut down. That’s the predicament Nick Hidy, who plays the French horn and trombone, found himself in as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe. But, as they say, out of adversity comes innovation.
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Norberto Garcia
As Norberto (Norbit) Garcia interviewed 18 families about their experiences for his senior thesis, he was reminded of why he chose sociology as a major—the realization that he wanted to help communities that are underrepresented and motivate students like him to go to college.
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David Sanchez Godinez
David Sanchez Godinez arrived at UC Santa Cruz with a passion for scientific exploration. Taking a full load of science classes and getting hands-on learning honed his scientific knowledge—especially his experience working as an undergraduate researcher.
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Ray Jara
Ray Jara liked science and was good at it, but he didn’t have college in mind until his freshman year of high school. A trip to Northern California with a college-readiness organization brought him to UC Santa Cruz. His concentration now is on photonics and electronic devices.