Category: Giving

Supporting others and giving back

Colleen Langan (Porter ’06, anthropology) overcame much personal hardship to attend UCSC. Now as the vice president of treasury at JPMorgan Chase & Co., Langan gives back to the Smith Society, which supported her during her student years.

By Haneen Zain (Rachel Carson ’21, politics), May 2023

New traditions

UC Santa Cruz alumni Florence Nelson, Stephen Klein, and Nadene Thorne are at the forefront of volunteering at Cowell College, laying the groundwork for what an alumni relationship with the campus could look like.

By Haneen Zain (Rachel Carson ’21, politics), March 2023

A page at a time

The daughter of the late UCSC astrophysicist Bill Mathews has found a creative way to remember and pay tribute to her father—by weaving portraits of him into and over his handwritten notes.

By Haneen Zain (Rachel Carson ’21, politics), March 2023

Organizing for lasting impact

Crown College pioneer alumni worked to raise $1 million toward the Crown College Endowment.

By Haneen Zain (Rachel Carson ’21, politics), November 2022

Centering South Asian Studies

The Anuradha Luther Maitra and Thomas Kailath Endowed Professorship in South Asian Studies will advance the center’s position as a leading hub of research and discourse dedicated to South Asia and the South Asian diaspora.

By Haneen Zain (Rachel Carson ’21, politics), November 2022

Musical chair

Best known for producing the long-running soap opera Days of Our Lives, alumnus Ken Corday has brought new opportunities to the film department at UCSC—and has now created the Corday Family Chair in Music.

By Haneen Zain (College ‘21, politics), August 2022

Empowering women leaders

Alumna Cassi Janakos, whose company offers lactation programs, created an endowment for the Feminist Studies Department with the aim of empowering other women as leaders and innovators.

By Christy Tall, August 2022

Coming together to heal

Arts Dean Celine Parreñas Shimizu's son, Lakas Shimizu, unexpectedly passed away in 2013 at the age of 8. In his memory, his family has established a scholarship at UC Santa Cruz supporting students in the arts.

By Christy Tall, May 2022

Lighting a spark

Astronaut and pioneering scientist Kathryn Sullivan is making a planned gift to inspire future generations.

By Dan White, May 2022