SPAN (Stevenson Professional and Academic Network)

SPAN helps students make connections with alumni, local professionals and non-profits, academic researchers, and fellow Stevensonians. SPAN helps students develop cross-generational relationships on campus and beyond, through a speaker series, networking and professional development opportunities, and internships. 

In the spring, SPAN offers research apprenticeships that pair Stevenson students with UCSC faculty. Selected students work up to 80 hours throughout the remainder of the academic year as paid research apprentices on a project related to the faculty member's research. Students are provided with research experience and professional development. Tasks vary depending on the academic discipline involved and the nature of the research project. Faculty participants provide students with academic and professional guidance, advice about the process of applying to graduate schools, and serve as their mentors. Consider attending one of the faculty lunches to learn more.

Speaker Series: please sign up for one of the upcoming lunches at the Stevenson Provost House. A free lunch will be served.

• Thursday, April 18, 2024, TIME CHANGED, NOW: 1:00 - 2:00pm, Sara Sanchez: a first generation college graduate and higher education professional with over a decade of experience pertaining to student affairs, advising, project management, student outreach and advocacy, and teaching serving underrepresented student populations. Sara currently serves as the Program Director for the HSI GANAS Graduate Pathways grant at UC Santa Cruz , which works to overcome barriers that impede Latinx and underrepresented student’s path and completion of graduate studies. RSVP here

• Monday, April 22, 2024, 12:00 - 1:00pm, Kathleen Kay: a professor in UCSC’s ECOLOGY and EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY Department, the current Jean H. Langenheim Chair in Plant Ecology and Evolution, and Principal Investigator for Kay Plant Evolution Lab. RSVP here

• Thursday, April 25, 2024, 12:00 - 1:00pm, Dan Ackerstein: runs an international sustainability consultancy out of Santa Cruz. His team helps large institutions (including Silicon Valley tech firms and clients in higher ed) operate their buildings more sustainably. He is also involved in interesting side projects related to environmental restoration that we might get a chance to talk about. In addition to these topics, we'll chat with Dan about interviewing strategies and how to prepare for your first internship or professional position. You can learn more about his work at ackersteinsustainability.com. RSVP here

• Thursday, May 9, 2024, 12:00 - 1:00pm, Susan Carpenter: a professor in UCSC’s  MOLECULAR, CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY Department, Robert L. Sinsheimer Chair of Molecular Biology, and Principal Investigator for Carpenter Lab. RSVP here

Please note: you must be logged into your @ucsc.edu Google Drive to submit forms.