Pause for Coz Profile - Elena Radeff
"Santa Clara University has always been my dream school. My family is full of Santa Clara graduates, and being able to witness the lifelong connections that stemmed from their time at SCU made me realize this was the place for me,” says Senior Finance Major and Real Estate Minor Elena Radeff ’24. Originally from Menlo Park, her choice to attend SCU is deeply rooted in her family's history with the university.
Despite her involvement in her Finance classes, Elena has found a series of German classes to be her favorite. Elena explains, "I didn’t come into Santa Clara expecting to take German, let alone take it past the required courses, but the group of people who share a passion for learning and for the culture make the experience so great. This is just another example of how the community that is built at SCU is part of what makes it so special. My dad is from Germany, so I love being able to learn more about where he comes from and the language itself."
As a student-athlete, Elena's favorite extracurricular activities are Volleyball and Beach Volleyball. Within the SCU community, she has found a group of like-minded individuals with whom she shares a strong bond. She elaborates: “The opportunity to compete for championships for Santa Clara and be a part of such an extraordinary athletic department is something I am extremely proud of.” In addition, Elena is one of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) representatives which allows her to be a voice for my team as well as work to grow in her leadership capabilities alongside student athletes from every sport on campus.
Looking ahead, Elena's future goals involve graduating from Santa Clara with a Bachelor's degree, pursuing her MBA, and ultimately establishing a career in finance.
To all who support the Fr. Coz scholarship, Elena would like to convey her deepest gratitude. She explains that "Receiving the Fr. Coz scholarship has had an immense effect on my ability to attend Santa Clara University. It is an honor that I can even say that I was chosen to carry on his legacy in one way or another.”