Ways you can get involved in UCSC Community Connections.
Become a member
Membership is open to anyone from the campus, community, and beyond who wishes to join.
To join or renew:
- Pay by credit card with the online membership form. (preferred)
- Pay by check, use the membership enrollment form.
For former members of the Affiliates, all memberships are now individual. So if you and your spouse had a couples membership in the past, you will now each sign up for an individual membership.
Membership dues are as follows:
$40 General
$30 Senior (65+)
$15 Student
$300 Lifetime
Support student scholars
Your generosity helps students complete their educational goals.
A transgenerational gift, an endowment, is truly the gift that keeps on giving.
Contribute to the Affiliates Endowed Scholarship for local students and the Rita Olsen Pister Endowed Scholarship Fund for UCSC Re-entry Students.
A gift to the Community Connections General Fund pays for annual or lifetime membership dues and supports the group’s operating fund. Legacy Giving
Explore the lasting impact you can make through planned giving at UC Santa Cruz. Planned gifts provide essential support for future generations of students. By including UC Santa Cruz Community Connections in your estate plans, you can create a meaningful legacy while potentially enjoying tax benefits for yourself and your loved ones. Discover various planned giving options that align with your philanthropic goals, including bequests, giving from your IRA, and other tax-smart ways to donate. Your thoughtful planning today ensures a vibrant future for UC Santa Cruz tomorrow. If you are considering a legacy gift please let us know by contacting Barbara Oden at baodens@ucsc.edu.
Thank you for your donation on behalf of the students and the UCSC Community Connections.
General meetings
We meet on Wednesdays in October, November, and February from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm unless otherwise stated. These general membership meetings typically feature a speaker or program, as well as a light lunch. Our annual Scholarship Award event is in May. Our programs are open to members and guests.
Interest groups
Join an interest group, express your interest in learning more by completing this form or contacting a group coordinator.
- Bon Appetit Gourmet Cooking
- Book Groups
- Bridge
- Campus Events
- Excursions
- Fiat Musica
- Financial Planning & Investment Management
- Garden Group
- Hiking/Walking
- Lunch Bunch
- Mah Jongg Groups
- Meditate Together
- Travel Group
- Westside Lunch Group
Bon Appetit Gourmet Cooking Group
4+ GATHERINGS PER YEAR. Gourmet cooking groups of 8 – 20 people will meet to share food, fun, recipes, and cooking tips. Themes, times and places will be decided by members of the groups. Partners may attend. Although this club is FULL and CLOSED to new members, a new cooking group will be forming if enough members sign up.
Contact: Rusty Bowman Group is full at this time – Waiting list available
Book Groups
- BOOK CLUB 3 (BBBs) – 2nd Wednesday, noon – Open to additional members
Contact: Sally Lester - BOOK CLUB 4 (Happy Bookers) – 2nd Wednesday, 1- 2:30 PM – Closed to additional members
Contact : Linda Werner - BOOK CLUB 5 – 3rd Monday, 1:00 – 2:30 PM – Open to additional members
Contact: Mary Jane Chambers
Bridge for Fun
2 Mondays per month, 1:30 PM – Bridge for intermediate and advanced players.Open to additional players
Contact: Linda Koval
Campus Events
Dates vary.This interest group is dedicated to keeping our eyes and ears open for interesting events happening at UCSC. The planning committee looks for plays, musical performances, campus facility tours, art exhibits, lectures, etc. that might be of interest to our members and then we reach out to invite our members to join us in attending these events. Open to additional members
Contact: Donna Cavaillé
Excursions Group
Monthly outings chosen and arranged by members.
Inactive/ Needs a leader
FIAT MUSICA – A Choral Group
Rehearsals every Thursdays, 7:00-8:30 PMDo you love to sing? Are you interested in sharing the joy of music with other women? The interest group Fiat Musica is a women’s choir which performs throughout the community, including holiday concerts, two performances for UCSC Community Connections and an annual Family and Friends Concert in May or June. We sing many styles of music: classical, pop and oldies, folk and world music and Broadway show tunes.Fiat Musica welcomes new singers. The best times to join are October and January.
Contact: Emily Sinclair
Financial Planning & Investment Management – Solutions for Women in 2022 and Beyond
Meeting dates and times to be determined by the group’s preferencesNew and returning members are welcome to meet at Jane’s office*. We will meet in person, socially distanced. Guest speakers will be included and topics scheduled in advance. Topics will be varied and include aspects of foundational planning and investment insights which are pertinent for those single, partnered/married, working, aiming toward retirement or retired. Open to additional members*Jane McKenzie’s Office – 1010 Fair Avenue, Suite G, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Contacts: Jane McKenzie (preferred) or cell phone – 831-234-5730
Garden Group
2nd Monday, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM ALL YEAR LONGThis club is CLOSED to new members due to its size. If there is enough interest, a new club can be formed.
Contact: Cherry Thompson Liaison to Community Connections Board: Trician Comings
Hiking/Walking Group
Thursday mornings,The Walking Club members enjoy the wonders of Northern California hiking trails in our immediate area. Members of the group rotate the responsibility of leading a hike and contacting everyone by email with details of time and meeting place to carpool. If the walk is during the lunch hour, everyone takes their own picnic lunch.
Inactive/Needs a leader
Lunch Bunch
3rd Friday at 11:30 AM; LOCATIONS VARY. Lunches are a great place to meet new friends and to see familiar faces. The group meets at a different restaurant each month. Members take turns as host, choosing the venue and making arrangements with the restaurant. The coordinator sends out a reminder by email to the group each month. New members welcome.
Contact: Toni Wagner
Mah Jongg Groups
- Mah Jongg Group 1(Weekly on Tuesdays at 1:00 PM) The group meets outside and inside, depending on the weather.The group welcomes experienced Mah Jongg players; lessons will be offered to beginners.
Contact: Hazel Powell - Mah Jongg Group 2 Weekly on Tuesday, 10 AM – 12:30 PMDorothy Carroll invites UCSC Community Connections members to join her at her home in Watsonville to play/learn this fascinating game. She says, “Every time you play, there’s something new and something learned, and all for fun! We play the Chinese game as taught by Helen Palmer. Please come and have fun. If you can’t play every week, come when you can.”
Contact: Dorothy Carroll; 768-8268 Group is full at this time
Meditate Together
45 minutes once a week; Monday at noon by way of ZoomNEW MEMBERS WELCOME! Let’s connect and meditate together over Zoom. Meditation offers an opportunity to practice tuning into the present moment, cultivating calm and awareness, and supporting colleagues. Mondays at noon, we will connect for 45 minutes. Each session will include 15-20 minutes of silence for meditation and some time to reflect and share together. Sign up here. Questions?
Please contact Andrea Cohen.Contact: Andrea Cohen
Travel Group
Last Monday of the month, 10:00 – 11:30 AM in members’ homes with a Zoom connection offered.Members of the group share information about foreign and domestic travel from their own experiences or from invited speakers.Open to new members
Contact: Rusty Bowman
Westside Lunch Group
Date and time to be determinedInactive/Needs a leader