In Their Words: Vidal Ramirez Ochoa

Name: Vidal Ramirez

College: Rachel Carson College (RCC)

Department: Economics

What Award/Scholarship did you receive? Robert J. Shepherd Economics Accounting Path Scholarship

What year do you expect to graduate? 2020

Where do you call home? Hollister, CA

What is your field of focus? Business Management Economics with an emphasis in Accounting

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? Honestly, I don’t really know what made Santa Cruz stand out for me. Some may argue that the beach, the beauty of nature, or the fact that it’s a UC but its like I told my friend on the last day of high school, “ It’s just a gut feeling telling me that I belong there for a reason”, a home away from home

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? When I graduate from UCSC, I plan on getting a job with an accounting firm and gain the experience and knowledge to continue in my accounting career. However, striving to get licensed as a CPA as soon as possible will be my focus upon graduation.

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? Every day has been a special day for me here. From the moment I attended my first class to the day I walk on graduation; I am more than certain that I will have and have had something to look forward to. The people here are fun, and the academics are great.

What does this scholarship/award mean to you? Coming from an underrepresented community and being a first-generation student, it pleases me to know that there are people out there who respect my work. I have always done my best to stand out and show that I am no pushover. Furthermore, it motivates me even more to step up the tempo since I have one more person not to let down and I will continue moving forward. Lastly, it reduces my personal expenses for school. Thanks!