Ethnic Studies

What we do in class | How to enroll | Email us 

Your Berkeley Connect in Ethnic Studies Experience

  • Small‑group discussions — Recent topics have included: a) How students of color have shaped UC Berkeley throughout its history, b) Exploring the resources of your university, c) Getting involved in research and defining your intellectual project, and d) Social justice in and outside the classroom.
  • Academic exploration — Creates space to talk about how students develop their scholarly interests, connect coursework to lived experience, and navigate the interdisciplinary landscape of Ethnic Studies.
  • Career pathways — Features alumni events highlighting the wide range of professions graduates pursue in community work, public service, education, law, the arts, organizing, and research.
  • Faculty conversations — Offers sessions where professors discuss their research, how they came to the field, and how intellectual debates around race, power, and social justice shape their teaching and scholarship.
  • Field trips & special events — Includes programs such as Faculty Panel Discussion: Get to Know Your Professors, the What Can You Do with a Degree from UC Berkeley? alumni talk, and guided tours of the Ethnic Studies Library.

Graduate Mentor Role                                                                                        

At the heart of Berkeley Connect is the relationship between you and your mentor. They:

  • Build community by leading small, discussion‑based sessions

  • Provide one‑on‑one support with personalized guidance and resources

  • Demystify the major by sharing skills, strategies, and tips on research and grad school

About Your Graduate Mentor:

A person with long black hair wearing glasses and a blue and white checkered shirt with a black blazer.

Lisa Ng

Hello! I am a PhD candidate in the Ethnic Studies department studying the relationship between community-led urban beautification projects and community safety in Asian American communities in Oakland. As a first generation college and graduate student, I enjoy discussing the nuts and bolts of (academic) life. No problem too big, no task too small. As an undergraduate, I wish someone would have told me that (as Hannah Montana said) life’s what you make it. Fun detail about me - I was born and raised in NYC and learned how to drive a boat at the Berkeley marina before learning how to drive a car!

Faculty Director

The faculty director supports the graduate fellow by planning the semester activities, and the graduate student facilitates the class. 

Picture of Verndette Gonzalez

Vernadette Vicuna Gonzalez 

Berkeley Connect Faculty Director, African American and Ethnic Studies
Professor of Ethnic Studies
Research Interests

Explore the Department