Amanda LaPore

Name: Amanda LaPore 

College: Stevenson

Department: Sociology

What Award/ Scholarship did you receive? Fanny Carruthers Award in Sociology

What year do you expect to graduate? 2025

Where do you call home? San Jose, California

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? I always felt a connection to UCSC because my grandma worked here as a counselor when she was young. I also stayed at UCSC for cheer camp each summer when I was in High School, and I fell in love with the campus.  My cousin graduated from UCSC five years ago and he loved his experience so much.  All of these things combined were the reasons why I really wanted to attend UCSC.

What is your field of focus? Sociology with a minor in Dance

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? I not entirely sure, but I am hoping to do something that involves helping others. I would love to run a dance studio and help kids. 

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? I really loved when I was accepted into a sorority the third quarter of my freshman year. Up until that point I was having a hard time meeting people and finding friends and that truly changed my life at UCSC.

What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz? They should get involved and join a club, group, or Greek life. It makes a big difference in getting to know people.

How will this scholarship impact your academic life /research? This scholarship helps a lot because my family has been struggling so much financially after my Dad lost his job. Thankfully he found another job, but they can’t afford to help me as much as they were, so I really needed this scholarship to help with tuition and housing.