Elyse Venerable 

Name: Elyse Venerable 

College: Stevenson

Department: Anthropology

What Award/ Scholarship did you receive? Ryan Heumann Anthropology Undergraduate Award for Spring 2023

What year do you expect to graduate? Spring 2024

Where do you call home? Home for me is Los Angeles, California. Though my home is my family, wherever my mom and nephew are is where I will be.

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? UC Santa Cruz has an impressive anthropology department, I was more intrigued by Prof. Vicky Oelze who specializes in stable isotope analysis. I’ve followed her work while in community college and was inspired to work with her as an undergraduate.

What is your field of focus? Anthropology with a concentration in Bioarchaeology and Cultural Resource Management

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? I hope to join a postgraduate program with either masters or PhD.

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? The most memorable moment that stands out for me as a student here is when I was asked by my professor to join his field school project in Benin. I was stoked for weeks!

What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz? familiarize yourself with all the resources on campus!! I know that I struggled with academia the most due to food insecurity, work, and overall chaotic household environments. If you present yourself to counseling staff in resource centers, they will help you, whether that be obtaining funds, food, or housing. Also, don't be afraid to ask for support from faculty!!

How will this scholarship impact your academic life /research? This scholarship will take an enormous amount of stress off of my shoulders. I have been working full-time to afford my airfare costs to and from the field school project in Benin. Having been awarded this scholarship allows me to reap the benefits of my physical and academic labor and for that I am forever grateful! I have been stressing about finances for a very long time since I am my sole financial provider, and it has been difficult for me to balance a social life, school life, and work life. This award eases my workload immensely so that I can focus on my studies and finish up this quarter with a positive attitude!