Meet the Team

Assistant Director of EOP: Counseling & STEM Programs

Lead EOP STEM Counselor

EOP STEM Counselor & Academic Success Coach

Nancy Gonzalez Reyes is an EOP STEM Counselor and Academic Success Coach with seven years of experience supporting students from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds in both K-12 and higher education. As a first-generation student and daughter of immigrant parents, Nancy is deeply committed to dismantling barriers in academic pathways to help students achieve their full potential. She earned her degree in History and Education from UCSC and recently completed her M.Ed. in Higher Education with a focus on Student Engagement from Pennsylvania State University. Nancy is dedicated to being a resource and advocate for students, providing guidance and creating a safe space for exploring the higher education system. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, running, and engaging in creative pursuits such as painting, pottery, and live music.

EOP STEM Counselor & Academic Success Coach

Hello EOP Banana Slugs! My name is Emilia Cline Arellano and I serve as one of the EOP STEM Counselors & Academic Success Coach. My goal is to collaborate with students and empower them to pave their pathway to success. My counseling style focuses on the intersectionality of a student's experience and use of that experience to identify the unique strengths that all student's possess. A little about me, I was a first generation college student and a former EOP student. I received my B.A. at UC Santa Cruz in Sociology with a minor in Education. After working for several years at the Santa Cruz County Medical Society, I went back to school and received my M.A. in Education with a focus in K-12 and College Counseling from the University of Redlands. I have been working with students across California in a variety of different settings from teaching nutrition education in K-12 schools to serving as a School Counselor to support mental wellness.

UC Computing Scholars Coordinator

Hi everyone! I am excited to share a bit of myself. I was an EOP scholar at CSU Northridge (CSUN) during my undergraduate years and received a lot of support from the EOP staff. I made really close friendships with my EOP peers who are still some of my closest friends till this day. Growing up, I was part of a K-12 organization called Harmony Project that supports first generation and under-resourced communities in Los Angeles through music education along with building college/university navigating skills which were so helpful in my own educational journey. My interest in pursuing a career where I could support the greater community through education greatly increased when I became a peer advisor at CSUN and got the opportunity to mentor first and 2nd year students. Before working at UCSC, I worked at UC Merced as an academic advisor and coordinator of peer advising. I am beyond excited to continue to support UC scholars here at Santa Cruz! A bit of myself outside of work, I enjoy walking my dog, trying new food, karaoke, singing, and dancing. I look forward to connecting with all of you!

To learn more about the UC Computing Transfer Scholars Program, visit their website.

EOP STEM Peer Advisor

Hey there! My name is Elliot, I'm a fourth-year Computer Science: Game Design major and Linguistics minor, and I'm very excited to be continuing my role at EOP for a 3rd year. As an advisor, I like to focus on task management and organizational tools to help students figure out the best way to manage their time well. I also work for Baskin Engineering as an Engineering Learning Specialist, working to improve learning & retention in engineering. In my free time, I tend to haunt the rafters as a spotlight operator for CMT San Jose, and I'm a big nerd for anything DC Comics, D&D, MTG, and video games. I am also an advance home baker & cook, and I love to try new pasta and bread recipes!

EOP STEM Peer Advisor

Hey! My name is Dana, I'm a third year Molecular, Cellular and Developmental (MCD) Biology major with a Bioinformatics minor. As a peer advisor, I'm here to support and help you navigate through both academic and personal challenges. I take a resource-focused and supportive approach; I like creating a welcoming environment and am always prepared to listen. My goal is finding the tools you need to thrive and be successful! Outside of advising -- I enjoy going to the gym, cooking, playing video games and being a cat mom!

Location: Academic Resource Center 121
Languages: English
Contact: stemscho@ucsc.edu