Fellows | 8 October 2026

Meet the 2026-27 Humanities EXCEL Fellows

Thirty-seven undergraduate students from the Humanities Division begin paid internships this fall, with eighteen additional students slated to join the experiential learning program in Winter 2027. 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.

Announcing this year’s Humanities EXCEL Fellows set to complete paid internships with community-partner organizations in Santa Cruz County and beyond.

This program connects students’ academic strengths with real applications, demonstrating how valuable, durable, and transferable a Humanities degree can be. We appreciate our partnering organizations who 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. Check back in January 2027 to meet the final eighteen students who will join the cohort!

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

**Silas Adkins**
Second Harvest Food Bank
Philosophy Major

**Selah Bell**
Black Surf Santa Cruz
Critical Race & Ethnic Studies and Environmental Science Majors

**Cassandra Caro**
Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos
Critical Race & Ethnic Studies Major

**Zoe Dumins**
Santa Cruz Poet Laureate
Literature Major

**Naomi Garrett**
Santa Cruz Poet Laureate
Literature Major

**Ella Joel**
Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
Feminist Studies Major and Education, Democracy and Justice Minor

**Madelynn Laventure**
Santa Cruz Poet Laureate
Literature Major

**Abiagael Mcnelis**
KSQD Community Radio
Literature and Politics Major

**Iris Mogul**
Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos
History Major

**Sanvi Prakash**
Santa Cruz Poetry Project
Psychology Major and Philosophy Minor

**Ava Salinas**
Lookout Santa Cruz
Literature Major

**Kaci Thornton**
Santa Cruz Poetry Project
Literature Major

**Cameron Welch**
Skills of Life Cafe
Literature Major

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 2026-27 Humanities EXCEL Fellows

Announcing this year’s Humanities EXCEL Fellows set to complete paid internships with community-partner organizations in Santa Cruz County and beyond.

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