Student Experience
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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…
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Reimagined undergrad class teaches students entire DNA sequencing process using cutting-edge devices
A biomolecular engineering course has recently been redesigned to give students experience with the entire process of DNA sequencing, from sampling to data analysis, using the latest nanopore devices from Oxford Nanopore Technologies.
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Porter College’s EnCore celebrates student voices and vision
Each year, Porter College hosts EnCore, a culminating exhibition of student projects from Porter 1, the college’s core course. The event features multimedia art and handmade books exploring identity, community, and creative expression. Select works are added to the university’s special collections library.
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‘Find Your Path!’ opens doors for successful careers in the arts
Annual event brings in experts to discuss building careers in the arts.
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Lactation room opens at Humanities One, with help from donor funds and a proud Banana Slug
Lactating mothers now have a dedicated safe space in the Humanities to nurse or pump milk. A new lactation room is now open in Humanities One at Room 228,
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Supporting early career alums: Finding hope in challenging times
In a time of uncertainty, where environmental challenges grow more complex and the future feels unpredictable, two UC Santa Cruz alumni share their insights on adapting to professional challenges while staying true to their core values.
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Matt O’Hara and Katia Obraczka appointed interim provosts of Cowell and Crown for 2025-26
The Division of Undergraduate Education is proud to announce the appointment of Professor Matt O’Hara as interim provost of Cowell College and Professor Katia Obraczka as interim provost of Crown College for the 2025-26 academic year.
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Music Department showcases student excellence
Part of the University of California, Santa Cruz’s groundbreaking music education is ensuring students have a chance to perform. Throughout winter quarter, students have strived to perfect their sound and their work will culminate in a series of performances through February and March.
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Fellowship to provide full tuition for up to 10 CA students to study Natural Language Processing at UC Santa Cruz
Up to ten California-residents will receive full scholarships to pursue a Masters of Science in Natural Language Processing for the 2025-26 academic year.
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2024 iGEM team’s foundational science project tackles infant formula affordability
The 2024 UC Santa Cruz iGEM team won a silver medal at the international Jamboree for a project focused on addressing the high cost of infant formula through a foundational synthetic biology approach.