Hey, I’m Christina! I’m from the Bay Area and just graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in Global Community Health. I’m passionate about advocating for underserved communities and improving access to health and wellness resources. Outside of work and school, I love traveling, exploring new places with friends, trying new food spots, and scrolling on TikTok in my downtime.

Hometown

Oakland, CA, USA

Major(s)

Global Community Health B.A

Clubs, organizations & involvement

Medical science intern at UC San Francisco - 2024 Wellness intern at Lifelong Medical - 2026

Describe your college experience

Moving from a big city to a smaller, slower-paced town was definitely hard to adjust to at first. But honestly, it turned out to be such an amazing experience. I really learned to appreciate everything Santa Cruz has to offer—the redwood forests, the beach, and the overall natural beauty everywhere you look. Even though the city moves at a slower pace, I feel like the people really make up for it. The community is welcoming, laid-back, and easy to connect with, which made the transition feel a lot easier over time. Overall, my college experience taught me how to slow down, be more present, and find joy in a completely different environment than what I was used to.

Tip for future students

Santa Cruz operates on a 10-college system, and while each college has its own mission and theme, I’d honestly recommend choosing your college based more on the location and the kind of community you want to be in. A lot of people rank Stevenson​/​Cowell pretty highly—they’re close to the bookstore, gym, and fields, and technically the closest to McHenry Library, which makes getting around really convenient. Next would probably be John R. Lewis and College Nine, which are located on the upper part of campus. They’re still in a great spot if you want to be relatively close to most campus resources, though be prepared for a lot of walking uphill. I might be a little biased as a Rachel Carson affiliate, but I think it’s one of the nicest places to live on campus. It has a quieter, more suburban feel, which I actually came to really appreciate. On the other hand, many students consider Merrill and Crown to be one of the tougher locations because they’re at one of the highest points on campus. People joke that if you live there, you’ll have amazing calves—but you will definitely be out of breath getting to class. There’s also Oakes, one of the older colleges. It has a strong sense of community and is known for housing a large portion of students of color, though some of the facilities are more dated. Porter—sometimes jokingly called “Porter Potty”—has more traditional dorm-style housing and is about 5–6 floors, which gives it a more classic college feel. Kresge has some of the newest dorms and honestly feels like an IKEA showroom—very modern and comfortable. Finally, the Village is more of a last-resort housing option. It’s located past East Remote Parking Lot and consists mostly of portable-style units with thin walls. It offers singles and doubles and is usually the most affordable option on campus, but it does not include a meal plan. Overall, my biggest tip is to think less about the college name and more about where you’ll actually want to live day-to-day, because location and community make a huge difference in your experience.

Favorite class

One of my favorite classes was a postpartum course that focused on what happens to a woman’s body and mindset after birth, and how postpartum doesn’t have a fixed timeline. We explored the challenges surrounding postpartum care, including the length of maternity leave, how healthcare providers interact with new mothers, and the importance of self-care and having a supportive “village.” We also discussed how culture shapes postpartum experiences in different communities. For our final project, we interviewed someone who had recently gone through postpartum and listened to their personal story—the good, the difficult, and everything in between. It was a really meaningful class that deepened my understanding of maternal health and support systems.

Career goals

I am currently interning at Lifelong Medical Center as a Wellness Intern, where I support community health and outreach initiatives. After completing my internship, I hope to pursue a role in public health or community outreach, where I can continue working directly with underserved communities. I’m also open to returning to laboratory research, as I enjoy both hands-on community engagement and scientific work.

Ideal way to spend a free night

One of my favorite things when I lived in Santa Cruz was $5 Tuesday at the movies! I went almost every Tuesday, even if nothing great was showing, throughout the entire school year. It was such an amazing and affordable hobby, and I’m really thankful for it—especially as a college student.

High school or secondary school

Life Academy of health and bioscience - Oakland, CA, USA