In Their Words: Andrea Rosas

Name: Andrea Rosas

College: Ten

Department: LALS

What Award/Scholarship did you receive? I received the Weiss Family scholarship.

What year do you expect to graduate? 2020

Where do you call home? For me home is Seaside, CA, near Monterey. And I go home every weekend.

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? I chose UCSC for a couple of reasons. The proximity of UCSC to home was very important, for I wanted to remain close to my family, and help them any way I could during my four years of undergrad. I also received a scholarship, TheDream.US, and UCSC was one of its California partners. This financial help was a main reason why I chose to come to UCSC.

What is your field of focus? I am double majoring in LALS and politics which has led me to focus on becoming a politician, primarily at a state level. I want to be able to represent the Latinx community, as well as those people who are underserved by our government.

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? I plan to go to graduate school and obtain a masters degree in public policy after I receive my bachelors degree at UCSC.

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? Being a planner for Practical Activism is definetly a memorable moment for me as a student. Along with my team I was able to put together a workshop that taught the community about I.C.E. raids in Santa Cruz. It felt empowering to give people practical ways to help marginalized communities.

What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz? Make the most out of your experience at school. While your education is top priority, explore the city and its surroundings during your time here, it will certainly help your stress levels decrease. Also make sure you stay on top of your academic deadlines, it becomes crucial at certain times.

How will this scholarship impact your academic life/research? This scholarship will allow me to attend UC Center Sacramento over the summer. During this time I will conduct my own original research, and be able to participate in an intership. This scholarship will therefore allow me to gain first hand experience in the career I am interested in pursuing.