Rojina Bozorgnia
College: Stevenson 
Department: Politics and Education, Democracy and Justice
What Award/Scholarship did you receive? Benjamin Quaye Memorial Endowment for Social Justice award
What year do you expect to graduate? Spring 2022
Where do you call home? Currently, Monterey, CA
With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? Social justice and transformation are integral values of the UCSC community, and the opportunity to be agents of change on this campus are endless. With ties to the counterculture movement and the most beautiful scenery, it was the obvious choice.
Beyond aesthetics and reputation, after browsing UCSC’s resources I knew this was a campus where I would always feel supported. I found an array of student opportunities before arriving on campus that jump started what would come to be four years of life-changing professional and personal experiences.
What is your field of focus? I double majored in Politics with a concentration in U.S politics and Education, Democracy & Justice. Although I always knew that education was the silver bullet to a better world, I came to UCSC with dreams of working in state diplomacy or electoral governance. But after becoming involved with the UC Student Association my freshman year to register students to vote, I realized just how intricate and nuanced higher education policy is. I was inspired to study Education after it was introduced as a major in my 3rd year to have the knowledge and background necessary to tackle educational policy and reform.
What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? I hope to continue advocating for policies that make education more equitable for all students, from pre-school to PhD. Through graduate research and an eventual job in policy analysis, I aim to address education disparities on behalf of non-profit organizations or government agencies.
What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? My freshman year I worked for months on end alongside fellow student lobbyists to increase mental health funding to the UC system. We gathered student testimonials, met with campus administrators, held campus info sessions to get students involved, and made endless trips to Sacramento to lobby elected officials on the issue alongside other UC students. After nine months of diligence, we secured $15 million in ongoing funding from the state for mental health resources for students across the system. That was the first of many budgetary and legislative victories to come in our mission towards a more affordable, equitable, and accessible University of California system.
What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz? When you first arrive at UCSC, you’re faced with a door. Behind the door are all the opportunities you can imagine, from friends who help you discover yourself to internships that help you figure out what you really want to do. But you have to want to turn the handle, open the door, and yourself up to those new and different experiences. There are so many people and resources around you to guide you through what can be such a fulfilling journey, but you have to seek guidance to receive it.
How will this scholarship impact your academic life /research? I will be able to put this scholarship towards funding my Master of Science in Public Policy at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom in Fall 2022.
