Cearra Upton

Name: Cearra Upton

College: Crown

Department: Economics

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

What year do you expect to graduate? 2023

Where do you call home? I grew up in Oakley California, which is a smaller town only about 2 hours from Santa Cruz. Although, I call Santa Cruz home now.

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? What stood out about UCSC was the beauty of the campus and all the life around it. Not only is it in the middle of nature, with deers and turkeys all around, but the people who attend UCSC are compassionate and accepting. It took one tour in the spring before applications were due that I knew I wanted to be here.

What is your field of focus? My major is business management economics with a concentration in accounting. I am
not sure exactly what field in accounting I want to pursue, but I have a rotational internship this summer that will help guide that decision.

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? I hope that I will have a job lined up after I graduate from UCSC. I also hope that I can still be near Santa Cruz because I have grown to love the area.

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? During my freshman year there were a series of power outages. One night the power went out and the teachers sent out an email that classes would have to be canceled the next day. My RA knocked on everyone’s doors and told us that we were going to explore the Porter caves. That was my first time being in a cave!

What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz? My advice to an incoming student is that they should lean into the social life that the campus provides. Don’t get too caught up in school work, and explore the campus and
Santa Cruz.

How will this scholarship impact your academic life /research? This scholarship will allow me to not have to focus so much on the financial aspect of attending school, as it can bring some anxiety. With this scholarship I will not have to take out such a large loan next year.