In Memoriam: Peggy Rose, associate director, EOP

July 28, 2020 

It is with deep sadness that we write to tell you of the death of Ms. Peggy Rose. Ms. Rose passed away in the evening hours of July 17, 2020.

Ms. Peggy, as she was affectionately and respectively called, was born in Yakima, Washington and came to UC Santa Cruz from CSU Stanislaus where she worked with transfer students. Peggy began her career at UCSC as an Early Academic Outreach Counselor, traveling across the northern parts of the state inspiring students of color that college was a viable pathway. Peggy saw an opportunity to impact students after they were admitted and began to serve as an Academic Counselor in Educational Opportunity Programs (EOP). The unique environment of UC Santa Cruz’s college model provided opportunities to foster strong bonds between students, faculty and staff by living together. Peggy volunteered alongside colleagues like Lauren Reed and Liz Martin-Garcia, to serve as a Residential Preceptor. This role was a volunteer role staff members could take on to support students within the colleges to put on programs, resolve issues, and build connections within the campus community. In exchange for those aforementioned duties, the staff member and their family could live in a university apartment. Peggy served in this capacity in addition to her role as a counselor in EOP, liaising with Oakes College and Rachel Carson College (then known as College Eight), from 1999 to 2003. As with many things, Peggy went above and beyond, meeting with students, setting up multiple appointments, and cooking dinner for students.

After the program was no longer available, Peggy continued in her role within EOP and later became the Lead Academic Counselor and most recently was appointed as the EOP Associate Director. In these roles, Peggy provided supervision and mentorship to various counselors and student staff, managed office procedures, facilitated staff meetings, and coordinated the EOP professional staff “Boot Camp” training, to name a few things. The rigorous and comprehensive training served to prepare EOP Academic Counselors to understand the fundamentals of UCSC academic policies, common patterns of issues, the approach of case management and building rapport with students, creating plans of action, and ways to help students navigate, “The Navigator,” or the UCSC Catalog.

Peggy contributed to EOP with a fire and ingenuity centered on bettering student experiences and helping prepare them to be successful in the world after college. Peggy modernized and enhanced the EOP Bridge Academy, created the Improving My Academic Progress (IMAP) program, coordinated the Academic Excellence Reception (which became the EOP Faculty Dinner), set the foundation for our approach to teaching time management and study skills, helped to design and for a time co-supervised the inaugural African, Black, Caribbean (ABC) Retention Specialist, and influenced many other programs that are essential to our work within EOP and are understood across campus as best practices in supporting first-generation and low-income students.

She dedicated her life to supporting the success of all undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds and helping them to understand their fundamental rights as admitted students. She reminded students that, “You earned the right to be here and don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t.” She has impacted an innumerable amount of students, and their subsequent generations, in her work, but even after decades she would never forget a face and never wavered on her high expectations.

The community mourns her surprising and untimely loss. But we know that Peggy Rose is forever with us, in our hearts, our minds, and within the fabric of EOP.

Peggy is survived by her son, Bryce, her daughter, Ede Rose, and her granddaughter, Laila. The family would appreciate the community's support in donating to the following: https://gf.me/u/yhm2gs.

Sad and shocking news can be difficult to process. We encourage students who wish to speak with someone to contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at (831) 459-2628.

Faculty and staff may wish to call the Employee Assistance Program at (866) 808-6205. If you would like to speak to someone at the UCSC Benefits Office in confidence regarding the EAP, you may contact Marianne McIvor, Health Care Facilitator.