El Centro is celebrating its 30th anniversary at UC Santa Cruz! Since our establishment in 1995, El Centro has served as a hub of organized activities and resources supporting Latine student transition, retention, graduation, and academic advancement. This significant milestone will be celebrated joyfully by hosting a Treintañera, a double Quinceañera. The celebration will highlight El Centro’s contributions to the Chicane Latine campus community and recognize the contributions and accomplishments of interns, faculty members, staff, community members, and alumni.
El Centro programs are funded in part by student fees, supplemental grants, and the generous support of alumni, allies, and supporters. During the Spring Give, we are fundraising for El Centro programs and services, uniting our community in a shared commitment to advancing Latine student success and empowering future leaders. Join us in amplifying El Centro's past, present, and future impact. Every donation, no matter the size, makes a meaningful difference.
$25 can fund a book or publication for the El Centro library. El Centro's library offers a variety of free books for students to check out on topics related to Latine communities, higher education, nonfiction, fiction, comics, etc.
$100 can fund a Pan Dulce Friday. Pan Dulce Friday is an informal space where different topics are discussed throughout the quarter. We encourage student organizations, campus units, faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students, community organizations, and individuals to submit ideas and co-host a Pan Dulce Friday.
$500 can fund a student's travel and registration to a professional conference. El Centro supports currently enrolled Latine students seeking to obtain the skills, networks, and supplies necessary to be successful in their chosen professions.
$1,000 can sponsor an El Centro workshop. El Centro workshops promote cultural affirmation, social justice values, and community service. Students attending our workshops get connected to campus resources, build a community of support that fosters their holistic success, and gain insight into cultural dynamics, social and political processes, and the historical significance of the contributions that Chicane and Latine communities have made to the U.S. and the broader world community.
$5,000 can fund an undergraduate student intern. Due to funding limitations, El Centro hires six to eight paid undergraduate student interns, providing them with invaluable opportunities to engage in program development and outreach while developing career readiness skills. Help us foster leadership development and offer more paid opportunities to students.
$10,000 can fund an El Centro Annual Program such as La Bienvenida, Fall Student Welcome, Dia de los Muertos Ceremonia, or the Chicanx Latinx Year-End Ceremony. Annual events are large-scale (up to 2,000 participants) and high-impact programs that foster student belonging and impact and transform our campus climate.
Spring Give Donors will be honored for their contributions during our anniversary celebration. Save the date for La Treintañera on Friday, February 28–Saturday, March 1, 2025.
During this two-day celebration, El Centro will host an Alumni Networking Reception, an Anniversary Program, and a Pachanga! In addition to this two-day event, El Centro is partnering with the Art department and Dr. John Jota Leaños to host a Special Topics Mural Painting course during which students will engage in a collective art process through the design and actual execution of a mural painting on campus in the fall of 2024. We look forward to your participation and invite your support toward this celebration and fundraiser for continued El Centro programs on campus. For more information about the Treintañera or how you can actively support El Centro, visit www.elcentro.ucsc.edu.
Friday, February 28, 2025: Alumni Networking Reception
Saturday, March 1, 2025: Anniversary Program
Saturday, March 1, 2025: Pachanga
