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UC Santa Cruz amplifies opportunities for students—serving as a springboard to help launch them as innovators, justice seekers, critical thinkers, and leaders. By supporting UC Santa Cruz’s Student Success Initiative, you provide vital resources for undergraduate and graduate students along with access to guidance and experiences fundamental to their education and successful careers at UC Santa Cruz.
“UC Santa Cruz provides an unparalleled educational experience. The Student Success Initiative helps ensure that students are supported as they excel in their classes and through life-changing experiences in our laboratories, studios, community, field sites, and around the world.” Chancellor Cynthia K. Larive
BY THE NUMBERS
Reducing financial barriers
$23.2M
raised (July 1, 2021— Sept. 30, 2022)
Across the University of California system, financial aid has the biggest impact on graduation rates for the lowest-earning students.
9,059 “Financial support from the university is very helpful. I don’t have to worry about finances, which frees me up to focus on my studies. Otherwise, I would be worried about food, my health, and housing security. Without scholarships, I would have been required to take out loans. Financial support really takes the pressure off my family and me.” Katia Avila Pinedo (Merrill ’24, computer engineering), scholarship recipient
donors (July 1, 2021— Sept. 30, 2022)
Who are our donors? 2%
faculty & staff
16%
friends & family
47%
alumni
34%
foundations & corporations
$6M
$4M
from UC Santa Cruz Foundation Trustees
awarded by UCSC in undergraduate scholarships
Providing access to basic needs
“You obviously can’t study if you’re hungry— or if you’re wondering where your next meal is coming from. For some people, something as basic as access to food is not basic. The Redwood Free Market helps keep students here so they can finish their degrees and move on to bigger and better things.” Estefanía Rodriguez UCSC Basic Needs Manager
2021–22 BASIC NEEDS SUPPORT
70%
of UCSC students receive some form of financial aid.
2,663
13 %
168
1,038
students received wraparound case management from Slug Support.
emergency housing placements made.
of UCSC students utilized the Redwood Free Market with a total of 8,161 visits.
direct emergency awards distributed to students in need.
Navigating campus life UCSC takes a holistic approach to student well-being. Our campus resource centers provide students with vital access to social, emotional, and academic support.
RESOURCE CENTERS Academic Resource Center African American Resource & Cultural Center American Indian Resource Center Asian American Pacific Islander Resource Center Chicanx Latinx Resource Center Disability Resource Center (DRC) Services for Transfers and Re-Entry Students (STARS) The Lionel Cantú Queer Center Veterans Resource Center Womxn’s Center
“The Cantú (Lionel Cantú Queer Resource Center) has provided me with a community I didn’t quite know existed. I felt a lot of my life that I had to hide myself to fit in and survive, and being at the Cantú is the exact opposite experience. I don’t have to hide myself anymore.” Sarah Donovan (Oakes, ’23, politics)
Experiences beyond the classroom “For those of us impatient to fix big problems and make a difference in the world, this program gives us the tools to start working, right now. It has given me confidence in the research process necessary for me to hit the ground running in graduate school and industry, and whatever lies beyond that.” Hayley Coyle (Crown ’23, mathematics) Frontier Fellows participant
UCSC is ranked #2 for students focused on making a difference in the world. (Princeton Review)
UCSC received the prestigious Seal of Excelencia certification in 2022. The award celebrates the university’s commitment to utilizing data, practice, and leadership to intentionally serve Latinx students.
One of only two universities in the nation that are members of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU)—indicating UC Santa Cruz’s research prowess—while also being both a Hispanic Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution.
35% of UCSC undergraduates are first-generation college students.
30% of UCSC students belong to historically marginalized groups.
UCSC is ranked among the top in the nation for social mobility. (U.S. News and World Report)
“Participating in the paid fellowship from The Humanities Institute has been nothing short of transformational. For a first-generation college student like myself, this fellowship is opening up a new realm of life.” Ronald Gunna (Porter ’23, feminist studies/critical race and ethnic studies) American Prospect/THI Fellow
“Championing student success means doing all we can to ensure equal and equitable access to the full student experience. The Student Success Initiative ensures student well-being, equipping each of our students with the resources they need to better focus on their learning in and out of the classroom.” Akirah Bradley-Armstrong Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Success
Thank You Your support of the Student Success Initiative elevates our students’ educational possibilities, strengthens their well-being, and generates momentum for social mobility— positioning them to meet our world’s biggest challenges. Learn more about how your gift is making a difference for Banana Slugs. success.ucsc.edu
Student Success Initiative UC SANTA CRUZ 1156 HIGH STREET SANTA CRUZ, CA 95064 success.ucsc.edu giving@ucsc.edu