Benjamin Ahlvik-Garrison, originally from Olympia, Washington, graduated from our M.A./credential program in 2022 and is now a language arts teacher at Edward A Hall Middle School for the Pajaro Valley Unified School District. During his time at UC Santa Cruz, he was awarded the 2020/2021 Kathryn Cheney Merriam Scholarship.
The UC Santa Cruz news team spoke with Ahlvik-Garrison to discuss his experience in the M.A./C program, his advice for other students, and how the scholarship supported his professional success.
With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out?
I applied to colleges all along the California coast. What made UCSC stand out was the one-year master’s in education program plus a Bilingual Authorization. There weren’t any other public universities that I saw that offered both.
What is your field of focus?
I am a teacher with a focus on secondary English.
What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz?
I hope to bring the gifts that UCSC has helped me to achieve to a career in public education. I will start my career teaching 6th and 7th grade English at E.A. Hall Middle School in Watsonville.
What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here?
The most memorable moment was being on campus for the first time and walking across the high bridges between Porter and the UCSC Library and eventually coming out onto the East Field with the magnificent view of the whole Monterey Valley. I told myself to take a deep breath and savor the feeling of gratitude and satisfaction that I’d really made it here and was entering a great new chapter of my life.
What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz?
Study by the windows at the McHenry Library. It’s such a beautiful space and the light shining through the redwoods was a beautiful inspiration. Then I advise going and playing at the East Field or going walking, swimming, or surfing at the coast. Find the right balance between work and play!
How will this scholarship impact your academic life /research?
I will use the scholarship to help me make the transition between grad school and teaching. There are two months before I get my first paycheck and cost of living is so expensive. With this money I can really focus on what matters now which is getting prepared to teach my new students in the fall.