Seven UCSC alumni will be presented with awards for demonstrating outstanding professional achievements, making distinct contributions to society, providing impactful contributions to UC Santa Cruz, and embodying the values and spirit of the university.

Alumnus Daniel Anderson received the 2023 Wilhelm Exner Medal in Vienna, Austria. The award—presented by the Austrian Industry Association (AIA), and dating back to 1921—is given to those who have made significant advancements in their respective scientific fields.

UCSC alumnus Kevin Lunzalu received an award from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). This award is one of just 23 awarded to individuals and nonprofits across the globe from the first-ever inclusive GEF Assembly Challenge Program.

Alumna Birong Hu’s generous gift to Girls in Engineering paves the way for a new era of engineers, unlocking boundless opportunities and transforming futures.

UCSC alumnus Jackson Zabierek was the 18th pick in the 2023 Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft by the Los Angeles Team (formerly Atlanta).

Over the course of three days, hundreds of alumni returned to UC Santa Cruz for a weekend of events and celebrations.

After earning his Ph.D. at UC Santa Cruz, James Hein became world-renowned for his deep-ocean research. He has left an indelible mark in his field and is now leaving a legacy in Earth and Planetary Sciences at UCSC by establishing an endowment that will help prepare the next generation of geoscience oceanographers.

UC Santa Cruz alumna Kathleen Finlay is the president of the Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming in the Hudson Valley and founder of Pleiades.

Three UC Santa Cruz alumni spearheaded a campaign to raise $1M for the Crown College Endowment fund. With the help of their peers, they surpassed their goal.

Bill Fujioka’s career in public and civil service can be traced back over five decades. Currently, he serves as the Chair of the Los Angeles Japanese American National Museum.

Graduate school admissions, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship awards, and American Astronomical Society honors mark a banner year for UCSC's Lamat Institute.

As the first African American man to be elected to the Santa Cruz City Council in 2018 and Mayor in 2020, the first African American person to serve on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, and newly appointed member of the California Coastal Commission, Dr. Justin Cummings is making an impact in his community.

Twenty-four alumni leaders are actively serving UCSC and their fellow alumni as members of the Alumni Council. We are excited to welcome this year’s five new Alumni Councilors.

Madison Nguyen (Rachel Carson ’97, History) was born in Vietnam. When she was four, she and her family escaped in a fishing boat, eventually arriving in California. With support from her community, family, and UCSC, she has forged a strong and inspiring career in service.

Through a partnership with Delta Dental of California, and two local nonprofits, alumni Anita Aguirre, Kenzie Ferguson, and Kristyn Glenn are changing the landscape of dental care accessibility in Santa Cruz County.

Stephanie Foo, longtime journalist and radio producer released her first book, What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma, in February 2022

The UCSC Latino Alumni Network aims to serve their community with the help of new Co-Chairs Amaris Trujillo and Guadalupe Sanchez.

George Kraw attributes his life successes to the education he received from UC Santa Cruz. An alumnus and longtime donor to the university, Kraw talks about his time as a student and why he chooses to support his alma mater.

The university’s multi-pronged approach—including field-to-plate food security, expanded access and food pantry resources, holistic CalFresh support, student-centered basic needs research and assessment, and Slug Support program—works to ensure a safety net for UCSC students.

Now in its seventh year, the Distinguished Graduate Alumni Award welcomes its 2023 cohort.

Among the magical moments of Alumni Reunion Weekend 2023 were the conversations among classmates who recounted stories of their days on the UC Santa Cruz campus.

Alyssa Scarsciotti (Stevenson ’20, Sociology and Linguistics) dreamed of joining the Peace Corps since she was a child. After graduating from UCSC, Scarsciotti is making her dream a reality.

Rockefeller Fellow, Peabody Award winner, Emmy-nominated film producer, writer, director, community organizer, and social justice activist Peter Bratt is UC Santa Cruz’s 2023 Social Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award recipient.

Over 150 alumni from the classes of 1965-1973 returned to campus April 14 & 15 to participate in Alumni Reunion Weekend. The class of ’73 celebrated their 50th reunion. Campus was bustling with current and admitted students and their families for Cowell and Stevenson Family Day and Banana Slug Day.

Associate Professor of Sociology Rebecca London testified before the California State Senate Education Committee on April 12 in support of SB 291, which would guarantee at least 30 minutes of recess per day for California students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

UCSC alumni Tallula Preston and David Purgason founded Watsonville based Fruition Brewing in 2019. Four years later, the duo’s establishment is a staple in the Santa Cruz and Watsonville communities.

A daughter of a Vietnamese refugee and a Mexican immigrant, Kim Bernice Nguyen advocates for her community as the youngest person to hold a seat on the Garden Grove City Council. In Jan. 2023, Nguyen announced her run for Congress.

Louie Campos graduated from College Seven—now Oakes College—with a cohort of seven other students. Oakes College’s mission deeply resonated with Campos, and after graduating he led a life of community and civil service.

An astrophysicist, musician, mentor, and inspiration, Bill Mathews died in September 2021. His daughter, Amey Mathews, began drawing portraits of him in his memory.

April Yee joined the UCSC Alumni Council in 2017.

CalEPA Secretary Yana Garcia heads California’s fight against the ongoing climate crisis with her UCSC education as her foundation.

Christy Martin is currently serving as the Vice President of Finance for the UC Santa Cruz Alumni Association. Martin enjoys reconnecting with and giving back to the UCSC community, while helping to manage and grow funds that support alumni programs and student success.

Stevenson College Distinguished alumnus John Rickford returns to UC Santa Cruz for a reading of a chapter of his memoir, “Speaking my Soul: Race, Life, and Language.”

UC Santa Cruz alumni Florence Nelson, Stephen Klein, and Nadene Thorne are at the forefront of volunteering at Cowell College.

Mario Galdamez joined the UCSC Alumni Council in 2022. Since then, he has enjoyed giving back to the UCSC community, honing his leadership skills, reconnecting with the community, and supporting students.

UCSC alumnus and Stone Brewing Co-Founder Steve Wagner has funded summer research fellowships for four humanities graduate students over the course of four years.

UCSC alumna Irene Vasquez works towards a restoration of Yosemite’s cultural and ecological heritage.

UCSC alumna Angel Riotutar returns to her alma matter as the Director of the American Indian Resource Center (AIRC).

Autumn Johnson graduated from UCSC in 2015. Now as the African American Resource and Cultural Center's Director, Johnson provides essential programs and services to current students.

Eight years after graduating from UC Santa Cruz, Xiomara Lopez is the Director of Chicanx/Latinx resource center, El Centro, coming full circle to the center that transformed her undergraduate experience.