In Their Words: Kiera Jordan

Name: Kiera Jordan

Department: Anthropology & Earth Science

What Award/Scholarship did you receive? Ryan Heumann Award

What year are you? Graduated early, Fall 2018

College: Cowell College

Where do you call home? Auburn, California

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? When I first visited UCSC, I was astounded that I could go to college somewhere so beautiful. I could feel the life pouring out of the campus and knew that it would be the perfect fit for me. Additionally, I was eager to be surrounded by such a unique and progressive mindset.

What is your field of focus? Archaeology

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? After taking a year or two to work and save money for my next educational challenge, I hope to go abroad for a masters degree in archaeology and use it to pursue a career where I travel the world as an archaeologist.

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? All the UCSC recreation trips I was able to participate in! Getting thrown out into the wilderness with groups of people I just met and slowly learning about and gaining trust in each other as we backpacked, rock climbed, snowshoed, etc. were definitely some of my favorite experiences while at UCSC.

How will this scholarship/award impact your academic life/research? This award will help me pay for the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance field school where I will gain hands-on experience with the archaeological excavation of the Mayan palace Baking Pot.