Leading by Listening: Marianas Fernandez’s journey to becoming a student leader

Student finds leadership passion through activism and campus involvement

Originally published in the UCSC News Center by Rachel Raiyani

Marianas Fernandez (John R. Lewis ’25, sociology and legal studies) wakes up at 6 a.m. most mornings. Twenty-four is not enough hours of the day for Fernandez’s schedule. As a full-time student, she juggles her academic commitments with her role as a Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internship Program (CUIP) intern for the C9/John R. Lewis College Co-Curriculars Program and is a member of the Woman’s Club Soccer team. 

In her second year at UCSC, Fernandez co-created a workshop dedicated to the first-generation student experience for UCSC’s 21st Annual Practical Activism Conference earning her the Jay Johnson award for her leadership, as well as the Rising Star Award for Student Employee Excellence. 

“When I got to college and was presented with new opportunities I thought, why not try?” Fernandez said. “I didn’t think too far into what would happen if I actually got there. Eventually, I was like, ‘I can teach a class? And I did.’” 

In addition to her involvement in on-campus programs, Fernandez recently completed a summer internship with the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office as an intern for the Misdemeanor Unit on the Post Arraignment Release Team. Fernandez pursued the internship with the help of Transforming Futures, a program within the Division of Social Sciences’ Institute for Social Transformation. 

Transforming Futures opens up opportunities and removes financial barriers for UC Santa Cruz students that identify as first-generation, underrepresented, or low-income so they can participate in career-advancing summer internships. All funds for the Transforming Futures program were made available to students through the generosity and invaluable support of MR Macgill and Ho Nam. 

As an intern with the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, Fernandez conducted interviews with incarcerated clients, drafted court documents, observed court proceedings, and even developed a way to streamline conversations between social workers and attorneys. 

“I learned about Transforming Futures through my sociology professor Amy Argenal,” Fernandez said. “It was awesome. I received a stipend for transportation and to pay for rent, which was such a help.”

Finding a passion for activism 

Humble, kind, and for the people, is the best description for Fernandez, someone who did not always know that student organizing was for her. 

Fernandez made her way to John R. Lewis’ Social Justice CoCurricular Programs Office (CoCo) after searching for on-campus jobs through Handshake. The office was in search of a CUIP intern, who would take a class and work on advocacy projects with other student leaders around campus. 

“When I first started working at the CoCo, I thought I’m just going to follow in the footsteps of the people that are older than me because I was the only second-year,” Fernandez said. “I thought I was here, so I might as well learn.” 

Fernandez spent a lot of the time working and speaking with the upperclassmen and staff at the CoCo about social justice issues as well as how to advocate and better the student experience at UCSC. 

For her, it was the first time being in a position where her voice and experience were treated equal to the staff and other people working there. 

“I learned a lot through the people at work. Going into my first-year from high school, I thought ‘oh my god, this is great! There are so many resources available. Everyone is so nice,’” Fernandez said. “Then you learn that so many students are struggling to find housing, that WiFi is not always stable on campus, and that there are so many other issues that the university has yet to address.”

This is where the work and advocacy of students like Fernandez come in. In her role as CUIP, Fernandez became a co-lead of a workshop in the Practical Activism Conference (PAC). The PAC is a yearly student-led conference with different speakers, workshops, and activities that focus on different social justice issues to help students find methods of creating change. 

The first-generation student experience is a difficult path to navigate, and Fernandez is the daughter of a first-gen mother. With their experiences in mind, she created a workshop to provide first-gen students with the tools to succeed, and brought in speakers like Danny Thongsy, a formerly incarcerated first-gen Lao student, to speak about their experiences. 

“It was an honor to hear the speakers’ stories. It felt so powerful that I was getting goosebumps,” Fernandez said. “The experience for people who attended went beyond age and culture. I think that was the most rewarding feeling I had. PAC 2024 was a success, and next year, Fernandez is one of the co-leads of the conference as well as co-facilitator for the PAC class, which will take place in Fall and Winter quarter. 

“Next year, I really want to establish a good relationship with the people in the Practical Activism Conference class,” Fernandez said. “The biggest thing for me is personal connection, listening to people, and getting to know who they are rather than ‘oh they’re just a person in this class.’”

Fernandez didn’t know this is where her college experience would lead her–as a leader and an advocate of student agency. She grew from the community she surrounded herself with, and all that started with joining UCSC Women’s Club Soccer. 

As a way to recenter herself, and incorporate exercise into her day-to-day, Fernandez found the soccer team. It was where she got her idea of looking at jobs on-campus, and how she found CoCo in the first place. 

“I have made a few lifelong friends from soccer,” Fernandez said. “Listening to other players who have more expertise than you, you always have something to learn from people around your age.” 

Just like that, she spent this year growing into a mentor herself. With her last year of school ahead of her, Fernandez is set to lead the 23rd Practical Activism Conference, be vice-president of the club soccer team, and graduate. She has some advice to those just either starting out or feeling stagnated. 

“You have to go out of your way to try to do things. See what sticks, and that’s how you find your people and lifelong friends.” Fernandez said.