The University of California, Berkeley community is mourning the heartbreaking loss of Paloma Foster, a Regents’ Scholar, student advocate, and respected leader whose life and work left a lasting mark on countless students and organizations committed to justice and equity. Her passing has sparked an outpouring of grief across campus and beyond, as many remember her as a determined voice for healing, opportunity, and second chances.
A memorial service honoring Paloma’s life is scheduled for Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Stiles Hall, where members of the Underground Scholars community and others will gather to celebrate her legacy. The university’s Underground Scholars program described her as a beloved member whose wisdom, compassion, and encouragement uplifted everyone around her. Paloma was known for her extraordinary personal and academic journey.
As a political science and public policy student at UC Berkeley, she earned the prestigious Regents’ Scholarship, one of the university’s highest honors recognizing leadership and academic excellence. She was also a first-generation Mexican American, former foster youth, student parent, and formerly incarcerated individual who transformed her challenges into a platform for advocacy. Before Berkeley, Paloma served as student trustee at Fullerton College, where she championed student initiatives and civic engagement. She was later recognized as one of the institution’s Students of the Year for her dedication and leadership.
At Berkeley, she served on the California Policy Lab’s Criminal Justice Research Advisory Board and chaired the Associated Students’ Equity and Systems Impact Commission, where she worked tirelessly to amplify marginalized voices and push for meaningful reform. Paloma’s life was defined by resilience, service, and compassion. Her legacy will continue through the countless lives she touched, the students she mentored, and the systems she fought to improve. She will be remembered with deep love, respect, and gratitude.
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