Seize Your Superpower
UCSB represents the strength and wisdom of people from many multicultural backgrounds, designating the university as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Service Institution (AANAPISI), among other designations of note. Beyond your time at UCSB, you will likely continue to interact with people in the workplace (e.g., clients, coworkers, mentors, and supervisors) with diverse cultural backgrounds, values, and viewpoints.
At Career Services, we recognize that your individual ethnic and racial identities may influence your career decisions and experiences navigating work environments. We are here to offer support with overcoming potential systemic or individual barriers, developing your professional identity, and accessing opportunities for growth and advancement.
Key Campus Resources @ UCSB
Discover Options: Students of Color
For complete information on assessing yourself, choosing majors, and exploring careers, review our starter tips to Discover Options in all careers as well as the specialized tips on this page.
Intersectionality of Identities
Students of color often explore the intersection of racial and ethnic identities alongside career development inside and outside of the classroom. By participating in multicultural experiences and discussions that reflect your individual culture as well as the cultures of others, you may discover new findings about yourself that influence your career or academic goals. Seeking a deep connection to multicultural awareness can help you develop personally and professionally.
Did You Know?
Students of color now make up more than 45% of the undergraduate population.
Statistics show that students of color make up 15% more of the undergraduate population than they did just two decades ago.
Academic Preparation
There are several undergraduate majors and minors that focus on the hxstories, communities, and cultures of various social identity groups. These programs empower you to critically examine the lives, experiences, identities, and sociopolitical issues of various populations.
If you are interested in studying social identity topics through your formal undergraduate education, here are a few example academic programs to consider:
- American Indian and Indigneous Studies
- Asian American Studies
- Black Studies
- Chican@ Studies
- Middle East Studies
If you are interested in social justice work, you can also consider the Poverty, Inequality, and Social Justice Minor, which provides students with the tools to understand poverty and intersectional inequality.
Scholarship Opportunities
There are many academic scholarship opportunities that are funded to support students of color in their pursuit of higher education. For example, take a look at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), the nation’s largest private scholarship provider to minority group members. Because scholarships are often targeted at very specific communities of students, it may take some searching to find ones that pertain to your background and qualifications, but it is worth the effort.
