Fellows | 6 November 2025

Meet the 2025-26 Humanities EXCEL Fellows

Thirty-seven students from across the division are joining the 2025–2026 Humanities EXCEL cohort and completing internships with 29 partner organizations. An additional 16 students will begin their internships in January and will be announced in Winter 2026. Fellows work directly with their host organizations, gaining hands-on experience in a professional field while contributing meaningfully to ongoing projects and programs. Each site pairs students with a designated mentor who provides training, supervision, and feedback throughout the internship.

The program connects students’ academic strengths with real applications, demonstrating how valuable, durable, and transferable a Humanities degree can be. Partner organizations consistently recognize the insight and skill Humanities students bring to a wide range of fields—including communications, community engagement, data and advocacy, and educational programming. Fellows also meet twice each quarter with their cohort and divisional staff for reflection and professional development.

The Humanities EXCEL Program is led by the UCSC Humanities Division with strategic support from The Humanities Institute.

**Isa Anderson**
Literature and Education Double Major
Santa Cruz Public Libraries

**Hannah Boatman**
Feminist Studies and Sociology Double Major
Your Future is Our Business

**Kriti Dokania**
Literature Major
Seymour Marine Discovery Center

Naomi Garrett
Literature Major
Santa Cruz Poet Laureate

**Kian Hladky**
Philosophy and Anthropology Double Major
Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History

**Daniel Mair**
Literature Major
Santa Cruz Public Libraries

**Dina Minovitsky**
Applied Linguistics and Cognitive Science Double Major
Skills of Life Cafe

**Jadyn-Kathleen Polk**
Critical Race & Ethnic Studies Major
Black Surf Santa Cruz

**Riley Ramos**
Literature and Psychology Double Major
Second Harvest Food Bank

**Ava Salinas**
Literature Major
Lookout Santa Cruz

**Michael Shires**
Literature Major and Education Minor
Second Harvest Food Bank

**Lilly Tookey**
Literature Major
Santa Cruz County Youth Poet Laureate Program

**Anna Yu**
Linguistics Major
Community Foundation

**Future Fellow – Winter**
Humanities Major/Minor
CA State Parks: Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park

**Future Fellow – Winter**
Humanities Major/Minor
Save Our Shores

**Future Fellow – Winter**
Humanities Major/Minor
United Way of Santa Cruz County

The Humanities EXCEL Program is funded by The Mellon Foundation, The Helen and Will Webster Foundation, The Humanities Division, The Humanities Institute, and private donors.

Original Link: https://humanities.ucsc.edu/employing-humanities/meet-the-humanities-excel-fellows/

Meet the 2025-26 Humanities EXCEL Fellows

Share

Address

Sign Up