Zoe Shmidt

Name: Zoe Shmidt 

College: Oakes

Department: Anthropology

What Award/ Scholarship did you receive? The Ryan Heumann Award.

What year do you expect to graduate? Spring 2024.

Where do you call home? Los Angeles, California.

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? There is nothing more stand out than a college built within a redwood forest. This changes every aspect of everyday college life: walking to class is synonymous with taking a hike and working at the library means working on a balcony at Mchenry alongside towering trees. What made UC Santa Cruz my dream college was the location of the campus.

What is your field of focus? Biological anthropology, specifically molecular anthropology and paleogenomics

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? I hope to attend medical school or osteopathic school.

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? On one of my first nights in the Porter dorms, there was a drum circle being held outside of the dining hall. My two roommates and I attended and it was an incredibly magical way to begin my college experience. There were three main drums that were the “heart” of the circle, and the man leading everyone chose my roommates and I to be the “mother drums”. We still call ourselves “the mother drums” and I truly believe that moment bonded us for the foreseeable future!

What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz? Utilize your resources! UC Santa Cruz offers so many helpful resources regardless of your situation. Tell your advisors about your needs or questions and do yourself the favor of reaching out to the resources they provide you with, it will change your college experience for the better. Also, there are so many amazing opportunities to take advantage of, like global studies and internships; apply for everything!

How will this scholarship impact your academic life /research? Because of this scholarship, I will be able to attend field school this summer! This is a really amazing opportunity that I would not have been able to cover completely on my own.