UC Santa Cruz was founded in 1965 as the movement away from the conservative ’50s was in full swing and America was experiencing a transformation. The founding faculty, administrators, and students embraced and embodied this change. They were open and revolutionary in their thinking—more than mere radicals, they dared to imagine a living and learning environment that would foster a community whose passion came from a deep sense of social justice.

And it shows.

UC Santa Cruz’s many accomplishments include:

• The first to map the human genome and make it publicly available—for free, forever

• Key contributors to the discovery of the Higgs Boson

• The birthplace of organic farming

• The center of the Dickens Universe

• A graduate gaming program that is one of the top 10 in the country

• Ranked second in the world for its research impact

This university is not to be underestimated.

The campus’s unique character is reflected in its students’​ bold choice to elect the fabled Banana Slug as its mascot—with their determined bearing and bright personality, it’s hard to ignore Banana Slugs wherever they may roam.