Student Experience
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The future of science
A generous gift from the Mayfield Fund is transforming undergraduate research and mentorship opportunities at UC Santa Cruz, creating a powerful chain reaction of scientific mentorship across disciplines.
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Highlights from Alumni Reunion Weekend 2025
Alumni Reunion Weekend 2025 brought nearly 400 UC Santa Cruz alumni, faculty, staff, and friends back to campus for a joyful celebration filled with meaningful conversations, milestone reunions, and lasting memories.
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Celebrating impact: The Sabatte Family Scholarship
The inaugural cohort of Sabatte Family Scholars is wrapping up their first year at UC Santa Cruz. Several scholars recently gathered with members of the donor’s family to celebrate the generous vision of the late Richard Sabatte.
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Stories in the sky: UCSC student connects cultural tradition through the stars
UCSC student Piramon Kumnurdmanee amplifies inclusivity in astronomy, showcasing indigenous stories and practices on her self produced website, Culture in the Cosmos.
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Planting seeds of change: Sheyna Burns reimagines agriculture practices
UCSC undergraduate researcher Sheyna Burns (Oakes ’26) is pioneering inclusive agricultural research and entrepreneurship through her campus-based Sankofa Sky Farm, developing a statewide food hub aimed at supporting socially disadvantaged farmers, organizing UCSC’s first annual California Black Farmers Conference, and more.
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Graduate students help preserve Dolores Huerta’s legacy through archival fellowship
Three UC Santa Cruz graduate students participated in an immersive, community-engaged archival fellowship—supported by a Mellon Foundation grant and UC Santa Cruz partners—that allowed them to process and preserve materials from the Dolores Huerta Foundation, gaining hands-on training while contributing to the legacy of the civil rights icon.
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About Hunger & Resilience: Cowell’s art exhibitions focus on hunger, resilience, and campus food systems
This spring at Cowell College’s Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery, About Hunger & Resilience by photographer Michael Nye is presented in dialogue with Circuit, a student-led installation on campus food systems.
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Early staff member Nancy Pascal fuels student opportunities
Nancy Pascal has remained a dedicated supporter of the campus, giving back philanthropically to scholarships and programs that reflect her lifelong connection to the university
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Empowering transfer students: UC Santa Cruz’s Humanities Division prepares undergraduates for the future
Transferring between universities can be stressful and disorienting, but at UC Santa Cruz, the Humanities Division works hard to ensure that transfer students are empowered, supported, and ready to make an impact.
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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.
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Wild West comes to the California Coast
‘Them Cowboys’ takes audiences on an adventure of queer love and treasure hunting
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Coveted awards fuel astronomy, astrophysics research
Third-year undergraduate Isabelle “Izzy” Connor and two Ph.D. candidates at other universities have recently won awards to further their research in astronomy and astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz. Connor (Crown ‘26, astrophysics) is a 2025 Barry Goldwater Scholar, an honor awarded by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program to second- and third-year…