Beyond the Call

The dedication and compassion of UCSB staff members was on full display during the Thomas Fire and subsequent mudslides

The Thomas Fire and subsequent mudslides wrought havoc on the entire Santa Barbara and Goleta community. Between the flames and ash and the mud and debris — not to mention the closure of Highway 101 for nearly two weeks — no one was unaffected.

Despite the natural disasters, UCSB’s doors remained open. In addition to regular operations — albeit curtailed in some areas — the campus served as a Red Cross emergency shelter and housed 100 mutual aid law enforcement personnel from the California Highway Patrol and the National Guard.

And none of that would have been possible without the dedicated service of UCSB staff members.

“Over the years, we have repeatedly demonstrated that we come together in difficult times,” said Chancellor Henry T. Yang. “The most valuable resource we have at UC Santa Barbara is our people, and I feel great pride to be a member of this dedicated and compassionate community.”

Here are just a few of the many UCSB staff members who went above and beyond, showing just what it means to be a Gaucho.

You can find out more here.

By Andrea Estrada, The Current