Key takeaways
- Saúl Ordaz will graduate from UC Santa Cruz this spring with degrees in sociology and Spanish and a minor in education.
- Ordaz plans to pursue human-centered industries like higher education, social services, or law.
Saúl Ordaz (Oakes ’25, sociology and Spanish) chose to attend UC Santa Cruz for many reasons: its proximity to home, its large but intimate education style, program offerings, and its commitment to being a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Now, as he approaches graduation, Ordaz feels equipped to tackle what comes next thanks to the wealth of experience he gained at UC Santa Cruz.
Throughout his time at UCSC, Ordaz was involved with various organizations and programs. Some include the Chicanx/Latinx Resource Center (El Centro), Chicanx & Latiné Educándose (ChALE), the Center for Economic Justice and Action (CEJA), the HSI CULTURA Grant Development Committee, the Koret Research Program, and was a Neighborhood Assistant (NA) for Oakes College.
These opportunities not only deepened his commitment to community empowerment, but also allowed him to connect with peers, mentors, and mission-driven work that shaped his sense of purpose.
“With all of the things I’ve done at UCSC, I definitely feel prepared for people-centered work,” Ordaz said. “I feel like I have the skills to work with and uplift others.”
Through this wide-ranging involvement with campus entities, Ordaz gained hands-on experience in advocacy, community organizing, research analysis, event planning, and public engagement. From leading retention-focused efforts for Latiné students to being a student voice during HSI grant conversations, Ordaz built a versatile skill set that will serve him as he moves into life after UCSC.
El Centro was one of the most influential parts of Ordaz’s journey at UC Santa Cruz. Ordaz served as one of three lead student program coordinators at the resource center, where he developed high-impact Latiné support programs, helped facilitate administrative and fiscal processes, mentored fellow student staff, and represented the center through outreach initiatives. His journey with El Centro began after attending a networking event where he connected with Resource Center Director Xiomara Lopez and was encouraged to apply for an academic intern position.
“Since I met Saul during his second year at UCSC, he has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to justice and to serving and uplifting Latiné students, communities, and our cultura,” Lopez said. “From organizing major campus events like Día de los Muertos, mentoring residents at Oakes College, and empowering youth through the Math and Science Upward Bound program at Monterey Peninsula College, to conducting research that highlights and seeks to improve the experiences of queer Latiné students, and offering support to his peers on the El Centro Team, Saul always shows up to uplift, and advocate for others. We are so excited for his journey ahead!”
Ordaz was drawn to the opportunity to explore and celebrate his Latiné identity, something he hadn’t fully experienced growing up in Livermore.
“When I first got to UCSC, I hadn’t really met or seen a lot of people that looked like me or shared the same cultural background,” Ordaz said. “So, with El Centro, I thought it’d be cool to be around more Latinés and just find ways to get more involved.”
With El Centro, Ordaz developed and led impactful programs focused on mental health and belonging for Latiné men and queer students, building a strong foundation in community-based programming and student advocacy.
Looking ahead to post-graduation, Ordaz is excited to continue learning. He plans to take a gap year to explore his options with continuing his education in graduate school, and looking to get into human-centered industries like higher education, social services, or law.
