Founded in 1965, UC Santa Cruz has been an integral part of the Santa Cruz community for more than half a century, having earned national distinction as a university with high-impact research and an uncommon commitment to teaching and public service.
Our campus reflects the strong diversity of California, and we are proud of our mission to educate the citizens of this vibrant state—nurturing generations of bright young minds and future leaders—while contributing world-class research that benefits society. Faculty and emeriti who have been attracted to Santa Cruz include a Nobel laureate,12 members of the National Academy of Sciences,25 members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and 36 members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
We work tirelessly to balance our educational mission with our responsibility to support and protect the health and well-being of our community and region. We strive to make a positive impact on our local economy, culture, and resources—and in turn, the community provides extraordinary experiences and opportunities for our Banana Slug family. Woven together, these threads of campus and community form a single, strong bond of caring and commitment—we are better together.
Key campus community initiative: Slowing and stopping the spread of COVID-19
UC Santa Cruz cares deeply about the health and wellbeing of our community and is honored to play an important role in helping test for COVID-19 in Santa Cruz County. It’s one more partnership in a long history of working closely with our city and county.
To provide testing for the area’s low-income and vulnerable residents, UC Santa Cruz is partnering with Salud Para la Gente and Santa Cruz Community Health.
The campus is also working with Santa Cruz County Public Health and the Santa Cruz Community Foundation to provide testing for various local community medical providers and public service entities on a short term, immediate basis, to address emergency needs.
Learn more about UC Santa Cruz's commitment to the community and other key campus initiatives here.