Inspiring Change: Student Success
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UC Santa Cruz trio takes third at 2026 Mistral AI hackathon with cybersecurity platform
A team of UC Santa Cruz students and an alumnus earned third place at the 2026 Mistral AI Worldwide Hackathon in San Francisco for developing an artificial intelligence-powered cybersecurity solution to help companies prevent phishing attacks.
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$2 million grant to propel UC Santa Cruz humanities careers
Since launching in 2023, the Employing Humanities initiative has provided hundreds of undergraduates with real-world work experience—as resource development coordinators, editorial writers, digital marketing interns, and archivists—that helps prepare them for impactful careers after they graduate. Underscoring the initiative’s impact, UCSC was just awarded a $2 million grant from the Mellon Foundation.
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UCSC’s Right Livelihood Center empowers the next generation of activists
The Right Livelihood Center at UC Santa Cruz offers students a range of opportunities to connect with global visionaries. Students Natalie Capobres (Kresge ’26, environmental studies) and Kevin Lin (Kresge ’26, community studies) share their experiences.
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In Crown College’s innovation lab, students work on industry-driven challenges
In Crown College’s Corporate Innovation Laboratory (CRWN 102), students like Evan Rantala and Julien Howard address industry-driven challenges alongside tech and community partners. The course, part of Crown’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Certificate, pairs academic learning with hands-on experience that extends beyond the classroom.
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Why more UC Santa Cruz students are graduating in three years
Three-year graduation is becoming more common at UC Santa Cruz, where intentional planning and advising have helped raise the three-year graduation rate to 10.3 percent, the highest in the University of California system.
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Immersion in childhood cancer research transforms undergrads into scientists—and advocates
The Treehouse Childhood Cancer Initiative is giving 80 students the opportunity to become cancer researchers for a quarter, thanks in part to generous funding from the UCSC Degree-Defining Experiences Program and the Dragon Master Initiative.
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Finding an affordable path to a UC Santa Cruz degree
Students like Jadin Archambeault and Jacob Chaudhry are actively navigating the cost of college while planning for life after graduation. Their experiences highlight the ways students use financial aid, scholarships, and campus resources to manage costs.
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Students in summer field school unearth artifacts and a new passion for archaeology
Interns funded by a UC-HBCU grant learned key professional skills and found their calling while excavating an archaeological site in West Africa
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Photo Field Research Quarter: An art-filled road trip across California
Each summer, UC Santa Cruz students spend three weeks on the road in Photo Field Research Quarter, traveling across California to camp, connect with community partners, and create art shaped by the places they visit.
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Leadership gift advances East Field running path renewal
A generous $500,000 gift will revitalize the East Field running path, enhancing movement, connection, and well-being across the UCSC community.
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Humanities EXCEL Fellows build community through hands-on Internships
At UC Santa Cruz, the Humanities EXCEL Program is helping Humanities undergraduates discover new pathways to professional growth and connect to local communities through paid internships.
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Transformative gifts will help students find their paths as changemakers
Experiential learning programs at the Institute for Social Transformation recently received $1.2 million in new funding to support the next generation of social impact leaders.