Your gift provides underrepresented students at UC Santa Cruz the financial support they need to engage in summer research and policy work related to coastal sustainability.
This award is open to students in both the Social Sciences and Physical & Biological Sciences who are doing work in any area of terrestrial, aquatic, or marine systems along the coast. Donations give multiple scholarships of $1000 to $4000 per student (in addition to $1000 in support of the sponsoring faculty member) to cover any expenses incurred during the summer months. The purpose of this financial support is to replace the need for the awardee to seek temporary employment and further their undergraduate thesis or Ph.D. dissertation research.
This fund and award is named in honor of Fred Keeley, who is currently serving as Mayor of Santa Cruz and also recently served as the Santa Cruz County Treasurer/Tax Collector. He represented the Monterey Bay area in the California State Assembly from 1996 through 2002, and earlier served as a Santa Cruz County supervisor. During his tenure in the state legislature he authored the Marine Life Management Act, which the Associated Press called the “most significant advancement in ocean policy in 50 years.” Keeley also authored the two largest park and environmental protection bonds in California and United States history. He is a board member of Ocean Champions and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.