Reaching out to Seaside High School

Associate Vice Chancellor Michelle Whittingham and UCSC student Monica Tran were part of our "Achieve UC" outreach activities at Monica's alma mater in Seaside. Photo by Vera Hampton.

I'm not often compared to a rock star, so I got a kick out of hearing that students at Seaside High School enjoyed my visit to their campus yesterday. The visit was part of "Achieve UC," a systemwide outreach project designed to get out our message of access and affordability. Many thanks to the Educational Partnership Center and all the staff who worked behind the scenes to make the visit such a success, as well as those who attended. The real "star" of the event was Seaside alumna Monica Tran, a second-year College Eight student who shared her story and advice with about 200 of Seaside's current students. They were riveted, proving again that our own students are our best ambassadors!

I offered to host Seaside High School and buy them dinner if they come up to UCSC during our Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation this winter. I hope they take me up on the invitation. There's nothing like a visit to our campus to crystallize the dreams and aspirations of prospective students.

Comments or questions? Write to chancellor@ucsc.edu and put "Seaside" in the subject line.