Marlen Reyes

Name:  Marlen Reyes

Department:  Sociology

What Award/ Scholarship did you receive?  Walsh Family Scholarship

What year do you expect to graduate?  2022

Where do you call home?  Compton, California

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out?  Being from the Los Angeles area, I am used to having a beach close by. Because Santa Cruz has the boardwalk and the beautiful ocean, I began to gravitate towards this school. I soon discovered that our campus offers a beautiful Redwood forest, which is a plus.

What is your field of focus?  Sociology & Critical Race and Ethnic Studies

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz?  I hope to do some community service work in Compton for a few years, then eventually transition into teaching at the community college where I graduated from, Compton College.

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here?  Becoming friends with my TA and tutors has been the most memorable moment at UCSC because they have taught me the importance of reaching out for help. My TA has been there for me since the beginning of my first quarter here, and continues to support and guide me – whether that be in school or in ‘real’ life. My tutor also continues to mentor me, despite not being in her class anymore. I love that my mentors care about me regardless if I am their official student or not, it shows that they are as invested in my future as I am.

What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz?  Don’t be afraid to get involved! Anything counts, and it takes you long ways. Be open to any opportunity that you are presented with. I have begun to understand the true value of doing things that scare you. I recently began to dip my toes in undergraduate research, which is something that younger me would have never seen myself having the courage to do; so far it has been going great!

How will this scholarship impact your academic life /research?  Thanks to this scholarship, I will be able to remove the stress of work taking up all my all my freetime, so that I can have more time to devote myself to homework and eventually move towards more involvement in community service.