Natalie Barnett

Name: Natalie Barnett

College: Merrill

Department: Psychology

What Award/ Scholarship did you receive? Gabriel Zimmerman Scholarship

What year do you expect to graduate? 2022

Where do you call home? San Francisco, CA

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? out? I chose UCSC because I was excited by the research in the Psychology department and the school’s focus on social justice across departments.

What is your field of focus? From psychology I am turning toward social work with a focus on systems of violence, including mass incarceration, affecting women and their families.

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? Hopefully complete my MSW degree at SJSU!

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? It’s not a memorable moment, but a memorable experience serving on the Peer Review Board, learning and applying restorative justice principles to the student conduct process. I think everyone should do it for one year.

What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz? Get involved and take advantage of as many resources and opportunities as possible to help you succeed during your time here and beyond.

How will this scholarship impact your academic life /research? Receiving this scholarship and learning about Gabe Zimmerman’s service work has strengthened my resolve to address the underlying causes of violence through research and advocate for policy changes to gun laws.