Student Achievement Week 2022

May 30 - June 3 2022

Students are recognized for their achievements in research and other scholarly activities during Student Achievement Week!  During this time, many will present their work publicly through a myriad of events -- everything from the Art exhibitions, Theater productions, graduation ceremonies, and undergraduate research celebrations.

COLLEGES AND CAMPUS

Career Success Sammy Awards

Date TBA

The Sammy Awards were created in 2018 to celebrate and recognize contributions towards career development in the UCSC community. Every year, the Sammies are awarded to a diverse group of community members from on and off campus, ranging from undergraduate students to administrators to employers. Awards are given in the following categories:

• Undergraduate Student of the Year
• Graduate Student of the Year
• Student Organization of the Year
• Honored Faculty
• Honored Staff
• Honored Administrator
• Employer of the Year
• Recruiter of the Year
• Alumni of the Year
• Excellence Award

Come to support and cheer on the winners and honourable mentions, and hear more about what's happening in career development at UCSC. 

Chancellor's and Steck Family Awards Presentation

Thursday, June 2
In-Person Event
(Invitation only)

Up to three outstanding undergraduate theses/projects from each of the five academic divisions are chosen each year from the winners of the Deans' Awards to receive Chancellor's Awards. This event recognizes those top research/creative projects of the year. The $1,000 Steck Family Award recognizes the top research project chosen from the Chancellor's Awardees and is announced at this event.

First Generation Initiative

April - June
Ongoing recognition

More than 2,300 UC Santa Cruz first-generation students will be graduating in 2021-2022. In fact, more than 34 percent of UC Santa Cruz undergraduates are first-generation college students. To recognize the significant accomplishment of these scholars, the UC Santa Cruz First Generation Initiative is distributing #First-Gen College Grad/UC Santa Cruz T-shirts to our graduates. If you haven't already heard from us and you graduated in 2021 (fall) or are graduating in 2022 (winter, spring, and including at the end of summer), please contact us at firstgen@ucsc.edu.

Haven't signed up to be part of the First Generation Initiative community? You can join via the link on our homepage: https://firstgen.ucsc.edu. Questions, please contact us at firstgen@ucsc.edu.

Cowell and Stevenson: Casino Night Gala and Leadership Recognition Event

Friday, May 27
8:00 PM
(Invitation only)

We are gathering of a fun filled night for us to recognize both our Student Leaders and our Scholarship recipients. It will be a night filled with games, awards and fun. Cowell and Stevenson College Student Leader and Scholarship recipients will be invited.

Merrill Undergraduate Research Mentorship Spotlight

Thursday, May 26
4:00 - 5:30 PM
(Invitation only)

Merrill College sponsors a Merrill Undergraduate Research Mentorship Program for Merrill juniors and seniors. Students are paired with a Merrill Fellow to work up to 70 hours throughout the winter and spring quarters as paid research apprentices on the faculty member's research.

The purpose of the program is to inspire and prepare Merrill students to pursue graduate studies upon graduation from UCSC. It is designed to provide research experience and personal and professional development for Merrill juniors and seniors. Merrill Fellows nominate a student whose work they are familiar with and whose interests are similar to their own area of research and expertise. As part of their mentorship, students will be employed as Research Assistants up to a maximum of $1050 for the school year. 

Merrill College: Tea of Excellence

Friday, June 3
4:00 - 5:00 PM
(Invitation only)

An annual event held at the Merrill Provost House. We serve an elegant tea to celebrate Merrill's active students who have been awarded and acknowledged for their academic efforts for work done during the 2021-22 academic year.

College Nine & John R. Lewis College: Student Leader Recognition Ceremony

Tuesday, May 24
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(Invitation only)

This casual celebration on the Social Sciences Lawn will consist of food, gifts, music, honoring our graduating student leaders, and more.

Phi Beta Kappa Induction Ceremony

Wednesday June 1
3:30 - 5:00 PM 
(Invitation only)

Undergraduates who were elected to Phi Beta Kappa will be formally inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society at this event. Phi Beta Kappa is the nation's oldest honor society. This year’s ceremony will recognize inductees from the graduating classes of summer 2021, fall 2021, winter 2022, and spring 2022. Winners of the Phi Beta Kappa Graduate Scholarship will also be recognized. 

ARTS DIVISION

Arts Dean's and Chancellor's Awards Luncheon

Tuesday, May 31
12:00 PM
(Invitation only)

Every year, the top 10 senior theses/projects from students in the Arts division receive the Dean's award. In addition, the top Dean's award projects receive the Chancellor's award. This event recognizes all of the Arts students whose research projects were awarded.  

Irwin Scholars Exhibition and Reception 2022

Exhibition: June 1-20
Location: Sesnon Gallery
Irwin Scholars Reception: Wednesday, June 1
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Porter Koi Pond Patio

The Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery is hosting the annual Irwin Scholarship exhibition, which showcases the work of a select group of UC Santa Cruz’s accomplished young artists. 

About the Irwin Scholarship and the Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery
As a way of ensuring that others would have the kind of art education that allowed her to flourish in the art community, the late Sue Irwin established the William Hyde And Susan Benteen Irwin Scholarship Fund in 1986 in honor of her husband. The Irwin Scholarship and group show is granted annually to undergraduate UCSC students for proven excellence in the arts.

The Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery encourages interdisciplinary discourse through the lens of the arts. For more information email sesnon@ucsc.edu.

Spring 2022 Open Studios

Friday June 3
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Open Studios features student artwork in a variety of media. Visit the exhibition to samples from each of the Art Department's Spring courses at the Elena Baskin Visual Arts Studios at UC Santa Cruz. 

HUMANITIES DIVISION

Celebrating the Humanities: Spring Awards 2022

Friday, June 3
5:30 PM
Open to the public (audience focused on Humanities faculty, staff, students and their families)

We hope you will join us for our annual celebration recognizing student and faculty academic achievement in the Humanities Division at UC Santa Cruz. Friends and family are welcome.

2022 Undergraduate History Showcase

Thursday, May 12 
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
Humanities 1 Room 210

The Undergraduate History Showcase is an annual event held each spring that recognizes the exceptional research conducted by UC Santa Cruz History undergraduates.

Linguistics Undergraduate Research Conference

Friday May 27
1:15 PM

Towards the end of the spring quarter each year, the Linguistics Undergraduate Research Conference (LURC) showcases the research of the department's undergraduate students. This conference always features as an invited speaker, a distinguished alumnus or alumna of the department. 

Literature Department Annual Celebration of Graduating Seniors

Thursday, June 2
5:20 PM

This hybrid in-person/remote event is open to the public. All are welcome! 

This event will recognize our 2021-22 literature and Italian Studies graduates. Students, friends, and family are welcome to attend. 

DIVISION OF PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, AND JACK BASKIN SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

Baskin School of Engineering's Dean's & Chancellor's Award Ceremony

Wednesday June 1
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
(Invitation Only)

This invitation-only event will honor student recipients of the 2022 Deans' and Chancellor's Award. The Dean of the School of Engineering will be handing out awrds followed by a reception. 

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Graduate and Undergraduate Research Symposium

Friday, June 3
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

The EEB Graduate and Undergraduate Research Symposium is an end-of-the-year event that celebrates the accomplishments of EEB's graduate and undergraduate students and explores the diversity of research they have been involved in. This year's research symposium will feature presentations as well as a poster session.

SOCIAL SCIENCES DIVISION

Building Belonging Student Flash Talk Event & Celebration

Wednesday, May 25
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
(RSVP Required)

The Institute for Social Transformation is excited to host an end-of-year celebration and student flash talk event to honor the work that has been accomplished in the Building Belonging program. Students who have been involved in the program in 2021-2022 will present their contributions to research projects. This event will provide Building Belonging Fellows an opportunity to share their research with the community. All are welcome to attend including students, faculty, staff, family and friends. The event will take place in person, at the UCSC Merrill Cultural Center. Click here to RSVP >>

Sponsored by: The Institute for Social Transformation and the Division of Social Sciences

Environmental Studies Undergraduate Research Symposium

Wednesday June 1
12:00 PM Noon

Students will present posters on their senior thesis and internship projects.

Environmental Studies Class of 2022 Graduation Celebration

Thursday June 9
11:00 AM
(Invitation Only)

The department of Environmental Studies will be hosting an in-person celebration for our graduating students on Thursday, June 9th, 2022! The event will begin at 11am, and it will be held at the UCSC Haybarn. Graduates will be able to bring up to 5 guests. Please direct any questions to Janene Avedisian at <javedisi@ucsc.edu>. We are excited to celebrate with you all!

Social Sciences Student Awards Luncheon

Friday, June 3
(Invitation Only)

This event will honor student recipients of the Division of Social Sciences 2022 awards/scholarships, including the Deans' award recipients. The event is invitation only, for awardees and up to two guests.

Education, Democracy, and Justice Graduation Celebration

Friday, June 3
(Invitation Only)

The second annual EDJ graduation celebration for the class of 2022.

34th Annual The Art of Nature: An Exhibition of Science Illustration

Psychology Department Graduation Celebration

Tuesday, June 7
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(Invitation only)

The celebration will include remarks from Department Chair, Phil Hammack and announcement of the Psychology Department Undergraduate Awards. After the main celebration, many of our faculty, lecturers, graduate students, and staff will be available to meet.