John R. Lewis College
Academic Emphases
John R. Lewis College’s theme of Social Justice and Community addresses a range of social, political, and economic inequalities—from racism and xenophobia to incarceration and educational inequity—and their impacts on society. In particular, our academic and co-curricular programs consider the injustices that many people confront in their lives, and situate them in historical, political, and structural contexts, informing possible pathways for resistance and change. John R. Lewis College provides students with opportunities to make their own positive contributions to social change through community involvement and/or scholarly research.
Additional information about John R. Lewis College academics, including Core Course requirements and other academic programs, is available here.
College Community and Facilities
College Ten, the newest college at UC Santa Cruz was founded in 2002. On May 6, 2022, it was dedicated as John R. Lewis College, a naming that was made possible by the generosity of anonymous donors who are inspired by the life and legacy of the Civil Rights Leader and member of Congress. John R. Lewis College creates an integrated living-and-learning environment through engaging academic and extracurricular programs focusing on the theme of Social Justice and Community. Student leaders, faculty, and staff collaborate to develop an array of programs exploring the many aspects of social justice. Some of the programs include faculty presentations, guest speakers, debates, films, arts events, courses, and interactive workshops. These programs unite community members in an atmosphere of mutual respect, in which contemporary and controversial issues are discussed.
John R. Lewis College is situated in a redwood grove next to the Social Sciences 1 and 2 Buildings near the heart of campus. One of the campus’s Instructional Computing Labs is conveniently located in Social Sciences 1. A nature preserve serves as John R. Lewis College’s “backyard.” John R. Lewis College students have immediate access to hiking, running, and mountain bike trails in the adjacent forest.
Residence halls offer approximately 600 single and triple bedrooms. These fully furnished residence halls include student study spaces, recreational areas, and WiFi. In addition, there is a state-of-the-art dining hall with an adjoining recreational lounge and Terry Freitas Café, a coffee lounge for both College Nine and John R. Lewis College. John R. Lewis College and College Nine also house approximately 400 upper-division students in apartments, with single, double, and triple bedrooms. All apartments have full kitchens, living rooms, bathrooms, and WiFi. Ground-floor apartments have decks, and most upper apartments have private balconies.
John R Lewis hosts many engaging programs and initiatives including:
- College Nights
- John R. Lewis College Governing Cooperative]
- Co-Curricular Programs Office
- Practical Activism Conference
- Good Trouble Academy
- Terry Freitas Commons student-run lounge
- Community Garden Club
Visit the John R. Lewis College website to learn more about programs, initiatives, and student opportunities.
The John R. Lewis College Governing Cooperative serves as the student government for John R. Lewis College and represents its students to the college and campus administrations and to the Student Union Assembly (SUA), the campuswide governance board. The Governing Cooperative appoints representatives to campus and college committees, provides monetary support to student organizations, hosts community programs, and consults with college administration on policy development.
For more information about academic or general college programs, visit the John R. Lewis College website.
John R. Lewis College Faculty and Staff
John R. Lewis College faculty and staff are listed on the college's faculty and staff page.