Tiffany Lockett

Name: Tiffany Lockett

Department: Psychology 

What Award/ Scholarship did you receive? Milam-McGinty-Kaun Award for Teaching Excellence (Psychology)

What year do you expect to graduate? 2022

Where do you call home? Hayward, CA

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? I chose UCSC because of the emphasis on social justice in the psychology graduate program. Also, I wanted to be somewhat closer to home so that I could continue working with youth in the East Bay Area. Not to mention, the forest/beach combo was rather appealing.  

What is your field of focus? Social psychology with a secondary concentration in quantitative social science.

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? Currently, I am the Program Director of the Reach our Children (ROC) Counseling Center at Berkeley Youth Alternatives, where I provide clinical supervision for graduate students working towards professional licensure as MFTs and MSWs, and provide mental health counseling for youth and transitional adults in the East Bay Area. However, my passion for teaching remains and I would love to be able to secure a lecturer appointment so that I can continue teaching undergraduate students. 

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? Being selected as the winner of the Graduate Research Symposium for the Social Sciences Division. That was unexpected, for sure!

What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz? Create a village. Put yourself out there and do the work to sustain meaningful relationships; those will be the ones carrying you through UCSC and beyond.

How will this scholarship impact your academic life /research? This award recognizes the passion I have for teaching and undergraduate students. The award will also help with funding as I work to publish my dissertation this summer.