Annabelle Venegas

College affiliation: College Nine

Department: Psychology

What Award/ Scholarship did you receive? I received the 2022 Dr. Aaronette White Scholarship.

When do you expect to graduate? Spring of 2022.

Where do you call home? I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, California.

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? I choose UC Santa Cruz over other renowned institutions because of their unique focus on social liberation throughout every department and their inclusive community that provided a home away from home.

What is your field of focus? I majored in intensive psychology with an emphasis on social liberation. As an education minor and a research assistant alongside UCSC’s Psychology and Sociology department, my academic career is heavily influenced by the challenges grappled by adolescents, LGBTQIA identities, and marginalized racial identities.

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? My immediate goal after graduation is to enter a California teaching credential program for elementary-age children. My career goals are inspired by my admiration for prior educators and my genuine interest in teaching. I eventually aspire to continue my education into graduate and doctorate school, in hopes to become a clinical psychologist for adolescents from low income communities.

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? I will always remember taking impromptu walks into the woods, meadows, or shoreline and finding always finding a new friend, a meaningful conversation, and a beautiful view.

What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz? From my experience at UC Santa Cruz, I would advise incoming students to push themselves out of their comfort zone. Although change can be intimidating, Santa Cruz's academics and social environment can offer transformative personal development. UC Santa Cruz offers an immense amount of recourses, but you do have to look for them, so don’t waste any time. Initiate a conversation with a stranger on the loop, join a club or two, and don’t be afraid to raise your concerns.

How will this scholarship impact your academic life /research? As a first-generation Chicana from a low-income household being awarded the Dr. Aaronette White Scholarship is extremely meaningful in terms of personal development and academic accomplishments. Dr. White’s research amplified marginalized intersectional identities and highlighted the effectiveness of qualitative research. I hope to follow in her footsteps, by providing clinical psychological support for lowincome communities and never forgetting my roots. I will utilize the scholarship funds to finance my move to graduate school.