News & Updates
Keep up with the latest from UC Santa Cruz’s 10 colleges. From student highlights and campus events to college traditions and community stories, find out what’s happening across our college communities.
Kenny Farrell and the making of a 50-year-old UC Santa Cruz steel icon
In 1974, Vietnam veteran and art student Kenny Farrell created a bold steel sculpture that became an enduring symbol of UC Santa Cruz. Fifty years later, his untitled structure still stands in the Porter meadow—iconic, untamed, and uniquely Santa Cruz.
Rachel Carson
From founding faculty to future generations
Celebrating Jim Pepper’s 50-year legacy of teaching, mentorship, and environmental leadership
Porter, Rachel Carson
Two UC Santa Cruz alumnae make their Off-Broadway debut
Rosie Glen-Lambert (Porter ’14, theater arts) and Hailey McAfee (Rachel Carson ’13, theater arts) make their Off-Broadway debut at Soho Playhouse from January 14 to February 13. The limited Off-Broadway engagement follows a sold-out run at the Hollywood Fringe Festival where the duo’s production received multiple honors.
John R. Lewis
How quiet galaxies stay quiet: cool gas feeds black holes in ‘red geysers’
New paper led by UC Santa Cruz undergraduate suggests that long-dormant galaxies deemed to be dead may actually be stunted by the dynamics of supermassive black holes at their center
Kresge
Redefining systems of care: Alumna works to advance health equity across California
Alumna and co-CEO of Essential Access Health Dr. Nomsa Khalfani (Kresge ’91, sociology) works to advance sexual and reproductive health equity across California and is a public health leader in her community.
Rachel Carson
UC Santa Cruz earns multiple awards for sustainability excellence
UC Santa Cruz ranked No. 6 Green College by Princeton Review and 10th in Zero Waste Campuses, as developed by the Post Landfill Action Network (PLAN).
Porter
Porter alum Cuauhtemoc Martinez and a life in sound
From East Los Angeles to UC Santa Cruz to leading sound production at Warner Bros., Porter alum Cuauhtemoc Martinez has built a life in sound.
Porter
From KZSC to national acclaim
How Jesse Thorn built a radio empire from his roots at the UCSC campus station
Rachel Carson
Breaking barriers and guiding others
As an outreach specialist with UC Santa Cruz’s Underground Scholars Program, Sammy Chavez (Rachel Carson ’25, Latin American and Latino studies and sociology) supports students navigating complex challenges in higher education. While completing his own degree, he was recognized with the Silver Slug Scholarship as a staff member pursuing his studies.
Kresge
Rooted in education, expanding opportunity
Inspired by a shared love of learning and a family of educators, alumnus Roger Koopmann (Stevenson ’80, economics) and his late husband, Tom Bullen (Ph.D. ’86, Earth sciences), established scholarships that give UC Santa Cruz students the chance to pursue research and study abroad experiences.