In Their Words: Helana Kearns

Name: Helana Kearns

College: UCSC Porter

Department: Psychology

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

What year do you expect to graduate? I expect to graduate Spring 2020.

Where do you call home? Home for me is Tahoe City California.

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? For me UC Santa Cruz stood out because of its campus. As I am from Tahoe I grew up in the mountains and by water, and UC Santa Cruz allowed me a place where I could still have both. UC Santa Cruz is my perfect home away from home which is why it was the best fit for me.

What is your field of focus? My field of focus is general psychology, but I have a special interest in developmental psychology.

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? Once I graduate, I hope to either return home or find a new place of interest and find a job that keeps me involved in the community. The ideal job would be something that allows me to have influence in kids’ development and life, but I’m not opposed to exploring job possibilities.

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? The moment I got accepted a second time as a transfer was about as significant a moment can get. I will never forget how happy and grateful I was to get a second chance at attending UC Santa Cruz.

What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz? Take advantage of the large classes and meet as many people as you can. In such a big school it’s important to have a strong support system and good social group.

How will this scholarship impact your academic life/research? This scholarship will allow me to continue to work towards securing myself a better future, possibly one that does not include immense amounts of debt right out of college.