In Their Words: Mari Evelin Moreno Velasco

Name: Mari Evelin Moreno Velasco

Department: Education

What Award/Scholarship did you receive? Delta Kappa Gamma Education Award

College: Graduate Education Department

What year are you? 1st year graduate

Where do you call home? I come from Bellflower, CA which is located in the county of Los Angeles.

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? UC Santa Cruz was the only university that offered the Community Studies program which I was initially was pursuing as an undergraduate. The Community Studies program emphasized the spirit of service to others and activism. I’ve found that this same spirit is evident across the departments at UC Santa Cruz and I am appreciative of the opportunity to study at such a prestigious university.

What is your field of focus? I am a Multiple Subject Spanish bilingual teacher candidate.

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? I will hopefully become a principal or education leader in Los Angeles with the aim of starting more dual immersion elementary and secondary schools. My goal is to combine the multicultural and multilingual aspects into everyday curriculum so students see themselves reflected in their education.

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? One memorable moment that stands out for me as a student at UC Santa Cruz is the collaboration with other colleagues and relationships I formed. I loved studying with friends under the strong redwood trees.

How will this scholarship/award impact your academic life/research? This scholarship will help relieve the financial burden I currently face as an unemployed full-time student. It will also help me pay for rent and summer tuition while being able to focus on my academic responsibilities instead of worrying about my finances.