My name is Sofia Perez, and I am a senior studying Cognitive Science and Global & Community Health. My experiences and GCH major created a huge influence on deciding to have a career in sports administration. I became a Global and Community Health major after going on a medical service trip to Peru. During this trip, I learned about the importance of tailoring health services to a community's needs; health is more than giving out medicine. The organization I volunteered with, MEDLIFE, values working with community leaders and having follow-up programs throughout the year. I got a first-hand view of how social determinants of health affect a person’s life. After the medical service trip, I became interested in learning more about issues that affect health, like housing, environment, policies, and socioeconomic status. My GCH classes broaden my view of how I can make an impact on equal access to health and education without having to work directly in a hospital or clinic. Growing up, I knew I wanted to help people, but I was not passionate about becoming a doctor or a physician assistant. My GCH classes allow me to explore other venues to volunteer and advocate for health equity initiatives.
I plan to have a career in campus recreation. My freshman year of college, I was hired to be an intramural game official. Since then, I have been a Program Assistant and Competitive Supervisor for our Sports Programming department at UCSC. In these roles, I have the opportunity to lead trainings, give feedback, and improve our overall department with new programming or initiatives. In doing this, I gained a love for student development and realized this was my way of helping people. In campus recreation, I work with students, continuously find new ways to improve a system or program, and see a program or students flourish, while in a sports/wellbeing environment. I played sports growing up, and coming into college, I thought my involvement with sports would be over. Officiating allowed me to continue being around in a sports environment. I learned that campus recreation creates community, not only for the students using the services, whether it is playing intramural sports, joining group exercise classes, or using the gym facilities, but also for the student staff. Movement is important, especially for college students who are navigating a new environment or stress from classes or daily life. Campus rec gives students an outlet away from those stressors and forms a community.
My goals are to get a master's in Sports Administration or Management, so I can work in a campus recreation program at a college. After I graduate, I will be taking a gap year where I hope to get an internship or job in the sports industry to further improve my experience. My long-term goal is to get my PhD in Higher Education or Student Affairs, specifically a program that focuses on student development or leadership. I hope I can use this to continue improving programs for students and perhaps move into a role where I have a chance to influence education policy, which creates a direct impact on students’ lives.
During my time at UCSC, I have served as an External Vice President for a student organization, MEDLIFE. My involvement with MEDLIFE has allowed me to continue volunteering and making an impact on health, as well as create opportunities for students. As an External Vice President, I oversee our chapter’s Outreach and Trip Coordinator branches, where I have played a role in creating professional development and volunteering opportunities for students at UCSC. I have also been involved with leading the coordination of our medical service trip each spring. Working at the UCSC Athletics and Recreation department has also allowed me to attend two national NIRSA conferences, where I have taken what I learned and applied it to our programming, such as incorporating our first intramural pickleball league. Some courses I have taken, like Research Methods in Psychology and GCH, have helped me establish my research skills. I have also taken Psychobiology of Stress and Well-Being, which has played a major role in understanding students’ daily lives and stressors.
My time at UCSC has been important for my self-growth journey. Much of my interdisciplinary education has allowed me to explore multiple areas that I am passionate about, such as health, education, and student life.