Amplifying Opportunity in The Social Sciences Division

The Social Sciences Division at UC Santa Cruz is committed to graduating students who reflect the diversity of our state. UC Santa Cruz is recognized for our strength in social mobility. Many of our students are the first in their families to attend college, often arriving from under-resourced high schools. We are proud to offer them an excellent education and to make it a priority to ensure every student receives the support they deserve. Admission to UC Santa Cruz is competitive; and once on campus, students take a rigorous course load that can at times particularly challenge those who may be underprepared. The Division of Social Sciences ensures these students receive inclusive mentoring and academic support. All of our students are encouraged to participate in rich co-curricular activities including academic competitions, research and internships, as well as various societies and clubs.

supporting student success in the Social Sciences Division

Scholarships, Fellowships, and Awards— Your gift will fund vital scholarships and fellowships for undergraduates and graduate students. Each year, the Division of Social Sciences and its departments award more than 40 scholarships and fellowships made possible through endowments and other gifts. Many awards benefit multiple students each year.

The Lead Peer Advising Program – Your gift will help pay returning undergraduates to provide academic advising to students in their major, offering on-campus professional development and financial support.

The Building Belonging program pairs underrepresented students with faculty mentors to conduct service-learning and research projects that increase student engagement and build a firm sense of belonging at the university. Your gift will help make these opportunities paid, rather than volunteer, which gives students the opportunity to earn income while enhancing their studies, and also helps open research opportunities to students with limited financial means.

The Blum Center on Poverty, Social Enterprise, and Participatory GovernanceYour gift provides funding for graduate and undergraduate student research through internships, fellowships, and grants designed to enable meaningful community-oriented change on issues like homelessness, food insecurity, and immigration services.

Your support of the Blum Center on Poverty, Social Enterprise, and Participatory Governance will provide graduate and undergraduate students with the opportunity to conduct research alongside community partners. Your gift will support the sustainability of communities and climates for health while cultivating a new generation of global and community health leaders.

The Everett Program projects tackle key information and communication challenges related to social justice and environmental sustainability. Your gift will support young leaders in applying the technical, educational, and research resources of the university to co-design social impact projects with community partners.

For more information on how you can help transform student success in the Social Sciences Division:

Joop Rubens, Managing Director of Development, Library and Social Sciences

Mobile: 831.252.0061

jrubens@ucsc.edu