Life Beyond the Redwoods: Class of 2023, one year later
Life Beyond the Redwoods Class of 2023: One Year Later
“The achievements of our alumni reflect their academic excellence and their unwavering commitment to positively impact the world. They continue to embody the spirit of innovation, compassion, and community that defines UC Santa Cruz. We eagerly anticipate the transformative contributions they will continue to make to society.”
– Cynthia K. Larive, UC Santa Cruz Chancellor
UCSC takes immense pride in the remarkable achievements of our alumni, from those who graduated in our founding days to our most recent graduates. We are proud to showcase a sampling of stories and achievements of UCSC’s Class of 2023.
The Class of 2023, just one year after graduation, has made an indelible mark. From groundbreaking research to advocating for others, their diverse pursuits and endeavors continue to inspire us and uphold the values and ethos of UC Santa Cruz.
John D. Pine Assistant Vice Chancellor Alumni Engagement
Emily White Executive Director Career Success
“The successes of the Class of 2023 serve as a testament to the strength of our community and the transformative power of education. I have no doubt that their accomplishments will continue to shine brightly, illuminating the path for future generations of students and alumni.”
– Lori Kletzer, UC Santa Cruz Campus Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
Guneet Hora (College Nine)
B.A. Intensive Psychology, B.A. Legal Studies
“UCSC helped me build a solid foundation for my career. My coursework helped improve my ability to analyze legal issues and communicate effectively.”
Current Occupation: Paralegal in the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Virginia
Samantha Moore (Merrill College)
B.A. Politics
“UCSC helped me tremendously in pursuing my career path. Before attending, I was unsure about what I wanted to pursue, but it was here that I discovered my passion for international relations.”
Current Occupation: Master’s Student in International Relations at Geneva School of Diplomacy
Yehan Weersuriya (Cowell College)
B.A. Business Management
Economics
“UCSC’s accounting department made a notable impact on my academic tenure during undergrad. It helped prepare and qualify me for the CPA exam, while honing in on my technical fundamentals.”
Current Occupation: Capital Markets and Accounting Advisory Associate at PwC
About the Undergraduate Class of 2023
By
the numbers
4,460
1,622
328
transfer students international students
4,888
graduates in 2023 degrees awarded by academic division*
*Including graduates who received two or more degrees
Humanities — 434
Arts — 465 Engineering — 996
Physical and Biological Sciences — 1,011
Social Sciences — 1,982
38% first-generation graduates
Pell Grant recipients
Race and Ethnicity
Miguel Tamayo
(College Nine) B.S. Computer Engineering
First-generation college graduate Miguel Tamayo interned with the Aerospace Corporation during his four years attending UC Santa Cruz. Now he works with the renowned company full time.
As a flight controls engineer at the Aerospace Corporation, Miguel is responsible for maintaining simulation tools, including creating new features to test different parameters and variables, and creating tools for launch. He says the most exciting part of his job is when Launch Day rolls around.
He plans on staying at the Aerospace Corporation for the foreseeable future, but hopes to pursue a master’s degree in the coming years.
UCSC organization/program involvement:
• Academic Excellence Program
• Equal Oppor tunity Programs
• Multicultural Engineering Program
“The classes that I took in my junior and senior years at UCSC helped me a lot. They focused on what I wanted to do and taught me things that I actually use in my career.”
Nailah Smith (Stevenson College)
B.S. Cognitive
Science
Current Occupation:
• African American Studies and Chicana and Chicano Studies Departments Coordinator at San José State University
• Master’s Student at San José State University
Nailah Smith has a passion for amplifying the voices of underrepresented communities.
She currently works as the department coordinator for both the African American Studies and Chicana and Chicano Studies Departments at San José State University. Her involvement with various UCSC organizations gave her the tools to advocate for others. One of her long-term goals is to advocate for and support women, especially women of color in tech.
Nailah was recently accepted into San José State University’s Human Factors Ergonomics User Experience Program within the College of Engineering. She will pursue a master’s in science while continuing her fulltime role in the African American Studies Department.
UCSC organization/program involvement:
• African American Resource and Cultural Center
• Black Student Union
• Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internship Program
• Equal Oppor tunity Programs
• Multicultural Engineering Program
• Stevenson Student Council
• Student Union Assembly
“Being involved in diverse spaces at UC Santa Cruz opened my eyes to truly unique perspectives. I am now following my passion of being a voice for the underrepresented and working to make tech more accessible for all!”
Ozzy Bagno (Cowell College)
B.S. Molecular, Cell and Developmental (MCD) Biology
Ozzy Bagno is a Ph.D. student in the Biochemistry, Cellular, and Molecular Biology program at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Going into his second year, Ozzy has chosen Dr. Luisa Cochella’s lab as his permanent thesis lab, where he studies how microRNA-mediated gene regulation contributes to cell-type specification in the nematode C. elegans.
Ozzy credits UCSC’s MCD Biology Department and STEM diversity programs for giving him the tools necessary to pursue his goals.
He plans to earn his Ph.D. and pursue work in the biotechnology industry or become a postdoctoral fellow, and eventually a professor. He wants to help make science more accessible to underrepresented groups by mentoring undergraduates and disseminating science to broad audiences.
UCSC organization/program involvement:
• Maximizing Access to Research Careers Program (MARC)
• STEM Diversity Research Programs
“UCSC’s MCD Biology Department as a whole strongly inspired me to pursue graduate school. My classes were taught by awesome faculty who were always approachable and answered any of my questions about science and life.”
Current Occupation: Ph.D. Student in the Biochemistry, Cellular, and Molecular Biology Program at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Where are they now?
Class of 2023
Sacramento - 2%
San Francisco - 24%
Alameda - 6%
Santa
Santa
- 9%
- 41%
96.2% California*
UC Santa Cruz graduates consistently enrich California with their innovation and talent.
Los
- 10%
San
- 3%
*By county
Top Industries
hiring class of 2023 alumni
Education
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Hospital and Healthcare
Top Graduate Schools
accepting class of 2023 alumni
Computer and Electronic Product
Manufacturing
Publishing
Ryan Loyola (Stevenson College)
B.A. Politics, Legal Studies
Current Occupation: News Assistant and Fill-in
Assignment Editor at ABC7 Los Angeles
When Ryan Loyola stepped onto the UCSC campus, he knew he had an affinity for storytelling and dissecting political institutions. Once he took a Writing 2 class with Kate McQueen and joined City on a Hill Press— the campus’s student-run newspaper of record—he was hooked on the world of journalism.
Ryan spent three years with City on a Hill Press, becoming co-editor in chief in his last year, and apprenticed with CalMatters, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization focused solely on the state of California. Ryan also served as the co-chair of the UCSC Filipino student organization Bayanihan.
Now Ryan is a news assistant and fill-in assignment editor at ABC7 Los Angeles, where he pitches stories, follows up on story leads, interviews sources, and reports on breaking news.
In the future, Ryan hopes to become a news producer for a major television market.
UCSC organization/program involvement:
• Bayanihan
• City on a Hill Press
• Engaging Education
“Because of the opportunities I’ve had, I’ve evolved into a journalist who now focuses on the intersection of policy, underrepresented communities, and the Gen Z experience.”
Sarah Xia (College Nine)
B.S. Biomolecular Engineering and Bioinformatics
As a research associate in the Genetics Department at Stanford University, Sarah Xia collaborates with a team to develop new technology designed to study the effects of different DNA variants.
She credits UCSC with giving her the tools to pursue research opportunities and igniting her passion for genomics. At UCSC, Sarah worked as an undergraduate researcher within the UCSC Genomics Institute in the Salama-Haussler lab. She collaborated on the cross-institutional Braingeneers project aimed to better understand the genetics and architecture of the human brain using cerebral organoid models.
In the future, Sarah hopes to pursue a Ph.D.
UCSC organization/program involvement:
• Genomics Institute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
• Baskin Engineering Peer Advisor
• UCSC Dance Team
“My education at UCSC not only helped me develop the necessary technical and professional skills required for my career, but also provided me with valuable experiences that reshaped my self-perception and encouraged me to pursue more ambitious goals.”
Current Occupation: Research Associate in the Genetics Department at the Stanford University School of Medicine
Vann Jones (Merrill College)
B.A. Feminist Studies, B.A. History of Art and Visual Culture
Vann Jones uses his UCSC education to advocate for others. His work especially focuses on transgender rights nationwide, and most recently, Palestinian liberation.
Using his own experiences as a transgender man, Vann created a website for his senior project titled What to Expect When He’s Expecting to combat misinformation about fertility and transgender health. His website is included in every UC Health Center’s transgender self-education packet. He has received messages from people across the country thanking him for his work.
Since graduating, Vann has worked as a freelance contractor on multiple projects with various organizations that support trans or underrepresented communities.
Most recently, Vann advocates for and raises awareness about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Palestine.
UCSC organization/program involvement: • UCDC Program
“My time at UCSC made me aware of what I want and gave me the tools I need to go after it.”
The UC Santa Cruz alumni community numbers nearly 150,000, and their diverse range of achievements both within academia and beyond reflects the depth of their impact on the world. As the class of 2023 ventures forth, they carry with them the ethos of UC Santa Cruz, poised to make meaningful contributions and a positive influence in society.
Join us in creating the next chapter of excellence at UC Santa Cruz.
