Salma Valladares

Name: Salma Valladares

College: John R. Lewis College

Department: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

What Award/ Scholarship did you receive? 2023 Keeley Coastal Scholarship Award

What year do you expect to graduate? 2024

Where do you call home? Home for me is in Los Angeles, California, specifically East LA! Home to a predominantly Latinx community. You hear the elotero man passing through the neighborhood every day selling shaved ice, street corn, and all sorts of Mexican treats, it's where I grew up playing soccer in the alley or at the local park. A place with endless vendors, taco trucks, and colorful murals of Latinx heroes. A place where almost everyone in the neighborhood knows each other and greets each other with a “Buenos Dias” (Good Morning) or “Buenas Tardes” (Good afternoon). East LA is where I call home.

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? The change in scenery. Coming from a big city, UC Santa Cruz offered an entirely different way of living for me. Having a university in the forest sounded amazing to me. As well as the many opportunities that UCSC has to offer in the EEB department. There were many labs and courses that I was excited to take.

What is your field of focus? I am currently an undergraduate student majoring in Marine Biology. Currently, I am exploring all my options, but hopefully, I get to work with sharks in the future!

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? I hope to pursue Grad school and create an outreach program that I take back to my hometown. I would like to expose the youth in my community to marine sciences. My goal is to inspire many younger generations of BIPOC to become involved in environmentalism and bring awareness to the intersectionality between marginalized communities and environmental policy.

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? Getting to do marine research in Sitka, Alaska! This opportunity exposed me to real science and fieldwork. It gave me a chance to conduct independent research. I learned so much about myself and in the process built good connections with my professors and made great friends.

What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz? Seek out as many opportunities as possible! Many professors want to help you succeed. Talk to your professors and make connections! Don’t forget to have fun and take breaks!

How will this scholarship impact your academic life /research? I am incredibly grateful for this scholarship. It would help fund ongoing research in Alaska for me and Eliana (research partner). This scholarship would go towards funding our research equipment and living expenses during our time there.