Name: Huzaifa Shahbaz
College: College Nine
Department: Sociology and Politics
What award/scholarship did you receive? 2017 Weiss Family Scholarship
What year do you expect to graduate (e.g. 2017)? 2018
Where do you call home? San Francisco, California
With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? UC Santa Cruz’s extraordinary research influence and opportunities for students played a key a role in my decision to attend this school. In addition, the natural beauty and unique culture of Santa Cruz influenced my decision to come here.
What is your field of focus? Sociology and politics. Specifically, studying the impacts of the housing crisis here in Santa Cruz.
What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? I hope to attend law school and focus on international law and human rights. My long term goal is to be able to teach at university level one day.
What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? One moment that stands out to me was when we put on a movie night in beach flats for local children of the families we were surveying with Professor McKay.
What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz? Take advantage of all the research opportunities you can get in order to help yourself grow as a student and an intellectual.
How will this scholarship impact your academic life/research? I will use this scholarship to take more classes in the summer around sociology and politics to help me prepare for my postgraduate endeavors.
