Social Sciences

Teen mom turned her struggle into strength as a recent UC Berkeley graduate

May 28, 2025

According to the U.S. Census, only 14% of single mothers earn a bachelor’s degree in the United States. Mia Magaña Kelly refused to be just another statistic.

As a single mother who worked and attended college full-time, Mia overcame tremendous adversity to earn a sociology degree and a minor in psychology from UC Berkeley this month. Enduring domestic violence and teen motherhood amongst other challenges, Mia discovered a community at Cal, a world-class university she never in her wildest dreams thought was possible.

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Political Science administrative director honored with Social Sciences Distinguished Service Award

May 27, 2025

Political Science Administrative Director Serena Groen received Berkeley Social Science’s Distinguished Service Award for her outstanding work in her department.

Leading a team of 12 staffers, Groen’s efforts help achieve political science’s goals and create a more inclusive and supportive environment for faculty, staff and students.

Groen, who comes from a proud family of Cal employees, has been working at UC Berkeley for 17 years. In addition to Social Sciences, where political science is housed, she has worked for the Lawrence Hall of...

Berkeley Social Sciences commencements celebrate Class of 2025

May 23, 2025

Economics graduates

Economics graduates. Photo by Jessica Park.

After years of hard work and resilience, UC Berkeley Social Sciences graduates proudly received their degrees from the division's 15 departments and programs this week. The ceremonies offered a powerful reminder of the enduring value of a Social Sciences education, and the vital role social scientists play in...

For Shaudi Fulp, politics is about tangible outcomes

May 12, 2025

Shaudi Fulp graduated from UC Berkeley in 2004 with bachelor’s degrees in legal studies and political psychology, later returning for her master’s in political science. She now helps emerging and mature companies build government affairs teams and strategies across the globe. Even though she lives in Southern California, Fulp is very involved with campus, offering guidance through the Berkeley Social Sciences Dean’s Advisory...

A first generation student shares her path from farmwork to UC Berkeley sociology grad

May 21, 2025

Karla de la Cruz’s path to UC Berkeley was neither linear nor easy. For much of her life, she didn’t even think going to college was a possibility for her – let alone walking the stage at the world’s top public university. She was raised by a single mother who worked long hours as a farmworker in rural Northern California, and few students in her community had the support necessary to go to college.

She beat the odds this week by graduating with a degree in sociology after completing the honors thesis program. During her time at Cal, she also...

Majoring in gender and women’s studies helped this graduate find her voice

May 19, 2025

This I’m a Berkeleyan was written as a first-person narrative compiled from a UC Berkeley News interview with student Daniela Guadalupe Castellanos, who’s graduating this May.

This is my third year at Berkeley, but I’m graduating already. I am from northeast Sacramento, a really small town, Cameron Park, where there’s nothing really there except McDonald’s.

When I first arrived at Berkeley, I was overwhelmed by impostor syndrome. Back home, every passing smile felt like a reminder that I belonged somewhere. But here, I felt invisible. I could walk across campus, and...

From Cal dad to Cal history graduate

May 20, 2025

Thomas Newman became a proud Cal Dad when his daughter enrolled at UC Berkeley as a transfer student to study history in 2022. Just a year later, Newman became a Cal Student, pursuing the same degree.

After 35 years working in restaurants and hotels across the U.S. and Europe, Newman knew it was time for a change. In the past, Newman went to a few junior colleges to pursue an education degree, but never completed college.

When he sat in one of his daughter’s history classes at Cal one day, he was inspired to...

Data Discovery showcases undergraduate research projects with real-world application

May 16, 2025

Students showing research at a poster sessionNihar Nuthikattu’s initial interest in Section 230 was kindled by following U.S. congressional hearings that included testimony from CEOs at major technology companies. A junior majoring in data science and economics at UC Berkeley, Nuthikattu said he was struck by “the stark asymmetry in technical acumen between lawmakers and digital platforms.”

Years later, Nuthikattu was considering...

Economics professor tackles poverty in Kenya and global climate change

May 16, 2025

Berkeley Economics Professor Edward Miguel has spent his career uncovering the structural forces behind poverty, instability and inequality. As the Oxfam Professor of Environmental and Resource Economics and co-director of the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA), he leads groundbreaking research that ties together rural finance, climate change, conflict and human capital — often through long-term fieldwork in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Miguel's research isn't just about diagnosis. It's about evidence-based solutions, such as a recent study on post-harvest loans in Kenya that's...

In uncertain times, these UC Berkeley students are using tech to innovate democratic processes

May 16, 2025

For first-year student Shruti Sahoo, UC Berkeley’s campus seemed to sport a divide: on one side, highly politically engaged students, and on the other, those focused on being part of the cutting edge of technological innovation.

She and 32 other students spent this past spring in a course dedicated to making explicit how the two might connect: Building Bridges Between Democracy and Technology for a Better Society. Part of the Challenge...