Getting to Know Emily Ramos ’27

Santa Clara welcomed more than 1,500 students to campus during Welcome Weekend 2023. This year‘s class features students from 41 states and 34 countries around the world, each with their own story. 

As our newest Broncos got settled into residence halls, we caught up with a few to get their feelings on starting life at SCU.

Where did you grow up? 

I’m from Union City, which is about 35 minutes away. It’s kind of quiet, but that can be nice. There are some hidden gems like the Filipino bakeries and some of the restaurants are to die for. We’re not like San Francisco where you’d go for a day trip, but if you’re in the area, you should check it out. 

What are you most excited about for college?

I’m excited to join different clubs. I’ve already looked into a few online like Barkada, the co-ed professional fraternities, and DayBreak K-Pop Dance Crew. I’ve been dancing ballet for 13 years, but I want to branch out into different styles like contemporary, hip hop, whatever I can get my hands into basically. I‘m excited to see what SCU has to offer. 

Why did you choose Santa Clara?

I considered a couple schools but I remember visiting campus and just walking around by myself and seeing how pretty it was. I thought, “I could imagine myself feeling at home here.” 

Also, at Preview Day, all the people were so nice and helpful. The tour guide for Finn Hall was a community facilitator. You could see he enjoyed his job. He was loud and boisterous and had a lot of energetic humor. He joked that CFs weren’t just here to scold people for bad behavior. I could really feel that the CFs wanted to enhance our living environment.

The girls running the Esports Club booth were also really nice. I don’t have the necessary equipment for esports but I have friends who play a lot, so I’ve heard a lot about it. I mostly play RPGs like Genshin but I’ll probably have to stop because school is starting soon.

How would you like to see yourself grow in college?

I’d like to be more independent and proactive in chasing opportunities, whether that’s introducing myself to new people or applying for jobs, because I know the fear of being judged or my tendency to hesitate might stop me from doing it. I want to take advantage of the opportunities I have. If it’s there, why not go for it?

What do you want to study at Santa Clara?

Right now, I’m a computer science major. I might decide to switch to engineering, but right now I think I’ll stick with the College of Arts and Sciences. I’ve already taken a few AP classes and learned some programming languages at summer camps. I‘ve always liked in computer science that there isn‘t one solution to a problem. There might be an optimal solution, but it‘s more about tinkering and trying to find your own way to solve the problem. 

I also think it would be fun to add a minor. I was considering graphic design but I could also see myself doing something completely unexpected like something in business that would complement my major.