An increasingly important part of creating a welcoming graduate program is to acknowledge and address the fact that the cost of living in Santa Cruz creates a hardship that disproportionately affects graduate students from minoritized groups. These inequities create barriers to achievement and success, and the Ocean Sciences Equity & Inclusion Student Hardship Fund helps support graduate students who face these barriers.
Your gift will:
- Help with students’ moving expenses or necessary personal travel, such as to visit close family members.
- Alleviate unexpected financial hardship due to the cost of living in Santa Cruz by providing funds for unforeseen expenses, such as medical- or transportation-related expenses.
- Contribute to the purchase of laptop computers or other necessary equipment for graduate student research.
This fund is making an impact in our community, as evidenced by the following testimonials from recipients of 2023–24 and 2024–25 hardship awards.
“I am deeply grateful for the support that the DEI Fund has provided throughout my academic journey. As a first-generation graduate student and an international scholar, I have faced challenges both in research and daily life. The financial and visa-related pressures, especially during international academic exchanges or family visits, have often added to these difficulties. I feel fortunate to have received support from the DEI Fund, which has helped ease the financial burden of academic activities and allowed me to focus more fully on my research and scholarly progress. I sincerely thank the committee members and everyone who has contributed to the DEI initiative.”
“The support I received from the Ocean Sciences DEI committee in the spring of 2025 was immensely helpful, and I am very grateful that this program exists to support Ocean Sciences graduate students (like myself) struggling financially while we pursue our academic goals. As a nontraditional and first-generation graduate student, I know that Santa Cruz can be a difficult (if beautiful) place to live because of the very high cost of living. Even with careful budgeting it can be challenging for people in my situation to make ends meet. On top of this, I unfortunately developed a medical condition after joining the department's graduate program and the associated costs (even with insurance) added up into the thousands of dollars. Thankfully, the DEI committee was able to assist me with these costs and helped offset some of the financial burden through the hardship fund. I am extremely grateful for this assistance: it literally helped me breathe a sigh of relief, and allowed me to focus on my research.”
"I am extremely grateful for the help of the Ocean Sciences Department’s DEI committee and their Hardship Fund. I was experiencing an unanticipated and severe health issue last year that required me to take an unpaid leave of absence, and upon my return to the program, I was extremely financially strained. The Hardship Fund helped provide stability while I transitioned from medical leave to student mode again, and I am forever appreciative of those who continue to support me and believe in my progress! Through all the ups and downs, it is so wonderful to have a place to reach out to for this important support. Thank you!"
"I’m incredibly grateful for the department’s hardship fund. Shortly after moving to Santa Cruz, my car was broken into, and I had to replace the window unexpectedly. It was a stressful time—I had just started settling in, didn’t have any savings yet, and my parents weren’t in a position to help financially. Receiving this support made a huge difference. It allowed me to take care of the repair quickly and focus on adjusting to graduate school without the extra financial burden. I really appreciate how the department looks out for students in moments like this."
This fund was established and is administered by the Ocean Sciences Department's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. We thank you in advance for your contribution and for supporting our students.
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