Kayla Mendoza and Maximus Vega began working as Orientation Leaders in April 2022 and have continued as Front Office since October 2022. Kayla is double majoring in Sociology and Legal Studies, and Max is majoring in Psychology. They plan to graduate in Spring 2024 and finish their last year working with the Orientation Office.
In the Front Office, Kayla and Maximus help a variety of people, including community members, prospective students, and newly admitted students and their supporters. On an average week in the summer, the Orientation Office can receive up to 200 emails and 30-40 phone calls! Their ability to work independently and together helps our office assist students and their supporters in a timely manner. They are excellent UC Santa Cruz ambassadors and consistently provide quality customer service.
In particular, Kayla helped a family member over the phone understand the immunization process while maintaining confidentiality and providing incredible customer service. The family member was so thankful that they emailed the Orientation office a thank-you letter citing Kayla’s patience and kindness. Maximus often handles complicated emails with detail, intention, and care. Maximus, a first-generation college student, understands how daunting college can be, and his emails are filled with positive encouragement and resources that help students feel confident about their choice to attend UC Santa Cruz.
Kayla and Maximus have learned an incredible set of skills that will help them continue their education. Kayla is deciding her next move and ultimately wants to pursue a Masters in Public Policy and/or Administration. Maximus wants to continue his education by pursuing a Masters in Counseling to continue helping students, either in high school or college. The Orientation Office's goals is to provide them with technical and professional skills that will assist them in their future careers. They continuously meet and exceed our expectations, and they are always eager to learn.
The Orientation Office is truly grateful to work with determined, kind-hearted individuals like Kayla and Maximus. As much as they have learned from us, the office has equally learned from them. Their exceptional work has better equipped the Orientation Office to serve the UC Santa Cruz community.
