Chloe Alysse Magidoff

Name: Chloe Alysse Magidoff

College: College Ten

Department: Legal Studies

What Award/ Scholarship did you receive? Chancellor's Undergraduate Research Award for Social Sciences

What year do you expect to graduate? Spring Quarter, 2022

Where do you call home? Agoura Hills, CA

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? UC Santa Cruz offered the unique major of Legal Studies, which spoke to my interests more than any other department or major at other universities. The social justice mindset and community interests of the students similarly attracted me to the politically active campus. The opportunities, faculty support, and freedom to engage in social science research has affirmed my decision that UC Santa Cruz was the right choice for me.

What is your field of focus? My field of focus in the Legal Studies major has been on landmark Supreme Court cases, and social justice issues regarding enfranchisement and incarceration.

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? Once I graduate, I hope to attend law school in the Fall of 2023 following a gap year to work in the legal field. From there, I aspire to work in politics and law at the federal level.

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? One memorable moment that stands out in my UC Santa Cruz career would be the chance encounter I had with Professor Daniel Wirls. I had taken his courses via Zoom in my first two years, and I had randomly run into him around Merrill college this past Fall. It took some courage but I approached him to introduce myself in person, which led to us discussing my participation in his capstone course. If it hadn’t been for that random afternoon where I bumped into him, my final year coursework would be vastly different.

What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz? I would emphasize that new banana slugs should focus on building connections! This goes for both faculty bonds, and social bonds with your new friends. Community is integral to the UC Santa Cruz experience, and starting to build a support network early on makes everything more enjoyable.

How will this scholarship impact your academic life /research? This undergraduate research award validates all the effort I have put into my studies during my time in the Legal Studies and Politics programs. My personal confidence as a student has grown through this experience. In addition, my future opportunities in graduate level education and professional development have been enhanced.