Jessica De La Cruz

Name:  Jessica De La Cruz

College:  Cowell College

Department: Psychology and Politics

What Award/ Scholarship did you receive?  The Valerie Fuette Scholarship in Politics

What year do you expect to graduate? Winter Quarter 2022

Where do you call home?  Downtown Los Angeles originally. However, I consider my small apartment in Santa Cruz my home as well.

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out?  UC Santa Cruz was just the complete opposite of the environment I grew up in and I was ready for a change. Los Angeles is big, but somehow I still felt suffocated and Santa Cruz was my oasis, looking back I wouldn’t change a thing. I loved that the people seemed so content with their life here, and the learning environment was described more as collaborative instead of cutthroat. UC Santa Cruz also offered the best financial aid to me, so that played a part in my decision-making process as well.

What is your field of focus? Psychology and Politics

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? I hope to continue my work in the human rights field or apply to work in the foreign service and one day be a diplomat. However, I haven’t ruled out obtaining my master’s in Public Policy after a couple of years of working.

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here?  My first day of classes I got horrendously lost trying to find a class and I began to feel myself panic and think “maybe I am not supposed to be here.” Then someone asked if I was alright and gave me a nice smile and helped me figure out where I was going. I think about that moment a lot when I explain to others, that people are just kind here, and in turn, I have become kinder as well.

What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz? My advice would be to take advantage of every resource, you’re paying for it! Go to office hours, utilize textbook lending, services in the library, tutoring, advising, etc.

How will this scholarship impact your academic life /research? I have had to work a service position during the pandemic and maintain a 20-22 unit class schedule all year, which has been extremely challenging. With this scholarship, I can lessen my work hours for some time and breathe and just be a student for a couple of months and I am very grateful.