In Their Words: Alyssa Garcia

Name: Alyssa Celeste Garcia

College: Ten

Department: Sociology

What Award/Scholarship did you receive? Sociology of Race, Class, and Gender Senior Thesis Award

What year do you expect to graduate? Graduated June 2018

Where do you call home? San Jose, CA

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? UC Santa Cruz has been my dream school since I was a child. I always knew in my heart that one day I would attend UCSC. I never had the opportunity to view the campus but when I got here I knew I was where I was suppose to be. I love being in the redwood forest and near the ocean!

What is your field of focus? Sociology

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? I am currently studying and working towards earning my JD and PhD in Sociology

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? Finding my community with the Smith Renaissance Society at UC Santa Cruz. I was able to use my lived experiences as a formerly homeless student to inspire incoming students that anything is possible!

What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz? UC Santa Cruz has many communities on campus to support the diversity that we each represent. Find your communities and ask for help when you need it.

How will this scholarship/award impact your academic life/research? I will use this scholarship to help pay for tutoring courses for the LSAT and GRE so that I may continue to pursue my JD, and PhD in Sociology.