Name: Meghan Ueland 

College: Graduate

Department: Education

What Award/ Scholarship did you receive? I received the Richard and Cindy Morley Award in Education

What year do you expect to graduate? Summer 2023

Where do you call home? Home for me is split between Humboldt County and Salinas, CA.

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? UC Santa Cruz has the reputation of being an excellent school for its teacher education program and graduates are viewed favorably by local school districts. Additionally, UC Santa Cruz is close to home for me, as I spent my adolescence in this area. These factors made the school an attractive choice.

What is your field of focus? I am finishing up my M.A. in Education and Single Subject Teaching Credential in Social Sciences to be a high school history teacher.

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? I will be going into teaching and have a job secured for next year at a local high school in Watsonville, CA. 

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? I've been truly impressed with UCSC's credential program and there are many moments that were particularly impactful. The support from my professors, classmates,  and teacher supervisor has been especially memorable, as student teaching is a vulnerable, emotional experience and having an encouraging network of positive people cheering me on  has helped me succeed. I also will not forget all the wonderful  students I bonded with over the course of this year in both my teaching placements at Pajaro Valley High School and Rolling Hills Middle School in Watsonville.  It's been a great honor to get to know them and I'm excited to see what they will accomplish in the future.

What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz? For incoming MA/Credential students especially, I would suggest taking the program day by day and remembering to breathe through difficult moments. The credential program is high demand, but very high reward and requires full-time investment  for the entirety of the year. Because UC Santa Cruz is staffed with excellent faculty, I advise students not to hesitate to reach out for help if necessary and be communicative with their professors and supervisor when they need support. They are there to help us succeed.

How will this scholarship impact your academic life /research? Winning this scholarship has been a very pleasant surprise and will help me cover the cost of tuition in the final summer quarter. This will enable me to more fully focus on finishing up my last class in the MA/C program rather than worrying about expenses. The money I originally saved for tuition costs will now be used to set up my new classroom for next year as a first-year teacher. I am greatly appreciative of being selected for this award.