Valeria J. Alonso Blanco, Graduate Student, University of California, Santa Cruz

Valeria Alonso Blanco is a Ph.D. student in Social Psychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her research interests explore the links between cultural and familial values, identity, academic outcomes, and fostering belonging for minoritized community college and transfer students. Her academic and professional goals have been shaped by her work in Cultivamos Excelencia, a Hispanic Serving Institution Initiative focused on community college student outreach and developing a transfer receptive culture at UC Santa Cruz. Valeria is the first of her family to go to college but believes she won’t be the last; she has two younger brothers she hopes to inspire in pursuing higher education.