Looking Up to Ms. Adriana Cruz

Activities?

• I am part of a coalition of students that organizes protest, rallies, teach outs, forums, and workshops in order to educate the student body on the issues about the University of California. 
• I’m also a part of the Chicano Student Programs Student Collective. Which is a group that discuses issues that Chicano/Latino students face on our campus in attempts to finding solutions. Alongside this we collaborate with the administration in order to make our issues known. 
  
• I have an internship with the UCR Governmental and Community Relationships office were I work with the Vice Chancellor alongside the local and state affairs staff. 
• I am a peer mentor in the Chicano/Latino Peer Mentor Network to a first year student. 
• I used to be involved in Voter Registration my second year. We managed to register 2,500  students at UCR to vote and brought actress Rosario Dawson to campus as an advocate. 
• From 2010-2011, I was Campus Organizing Director of the University of California Student Association.
• I’m also a proud member of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity! 

What is your current job?

I currently have a part time job in BCOE as a data baser. 

 

How do you manage all these activities? 

The best way for me to manage all of my activities is by writing everything down in a planner, on my computer, setting appointments on my iPhone, and by placing post-its all over my mirrors in my apartment. My days are usually packed with meetings and appointments. So I have a bunch of notes everywhere because I need that extra reminder to keep myself on track. Color Coding things also works best when trying to keep different events in order! 

 

What are your future plans?

Post graduation I want to apply to dual programs that will allow me to receive my JD (Juris Doctor) and MSW (Master of Social Work) at NYU Law. 

 

What was your experience traveling abroad? And would you recommend it to others?

I traveled aboard the Summer of 2011 to Florence, Italy. This was probably the best experience of my life! I learned Italian and studied a lot about the art history of Michelangelo. I continued to travel all over Italy. I went to Venice, Siena, Cinque Terre, Rome, the Vatican City, Sorrento, Pompeii, Capri, and Naples. Traveling to all of these amazing places felt so surreal and every moment was special. Out of all of the places I visited, I’d have to say that my all time favorite was the Eternal City of Rome. I felt like it was such an incredible place because of its indescribable flawless beauty. After Italy I traveled to, Barcelona (Spain), Ibiza (Spain), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Paris (France), Brussels(Belgium), Liverpool (UK), and London (UK). I would recommend that everyone travel aboard because it was defiantly a growing experience for me. I got to meet some amazing friends that still keep in contanct with till this day. They’re like a part of my family!

 

What do you do to relieve stress?

When I need to relieve stress I usually just take a lot of deep breathes and mediate throughout the day. Reflection is a really great stress reliever. 

 

What’s your main goal in life? 

My main goal in life is to become an attorney of immigration and human rights.