Claire Frost

Claire Frost -  UC Alumni UK President

Claire Frost has always been a global citizen. Born in Canada, she spent her childhood between the UK, the US, and the Caribbean, before moving to Santa Barbara for university. Her decision to attend UC Santa Barbara was largely influenced by their strong study abroad program.  Looking back at her time at UCSB, Claire recounts fond memories of dormitory living and worthwhile Global Studies classes with professors like Sociologist Mark Juergensmeyer. Her most treasured memory, however, was her junior year experience in the UC Education Abroad Program at the University of Bologna, Italy.

Frost illustrates that “EAP will always be the most special experience from Santa Barbara. It was difficult. It was my first time living in a country that didn't speak English as the first language. It was hard for me to learn the language, so I struggled, and it took me a couple months to really settle into that, but then it was so rewarding academically and for my personal growth. It was absolutely amazing.”

Upon her return from Bologna, Claire completed enough Italian courses to graduate with two degrees, Global Studies and Italian Studies. Upon graduation, she landed her dream role as a HR coordinator at a Four Seasons Hotel. She was then given the opportunity to move to London to work for the Six Senses Hotels. As it allowed her to be with her family settled in the UK, she gladly accepted and now holds the role of Director of Human Resources. 

From her current personal and professional vantage point, Claire reflects on her own study abroad experience and recommends to all UC students: “Be open, be curious, and throw yourself into a new adventure. Everyone talks about getting out of your comfort zone, and that's really what I did. It was hard, and it wasn't always very fun. I lived in some places that I didn't really want to live in, but overall the experience was just so cool to look back on. If you're going to be trying something at the end of the day, what I learned from EAP specifically is that a year is not very long. A year goes by very quickly, and it's the same if you're looking at a really two year stint in a new job or a new country - two years is nothing. It doesn't seem like it at the time, particularly when we're a bit younger, but at some point, I looked back and thought that all of my experiences were just so rewarding, and so I would encourage others to try exploring new opportunities, and maybe ones that scare them as well.”

Whilst living and working in London, Claire got involved with the UC UK community through her sister, Victoria, who invited her to the annual 10k with the UC Running Club. This event kick started her love for the UC UK community, and she started becoming more involved in events like TTT’s (Third Thirsty Thursday pub nights). In a city as big as London, Claire sees the UC UK Community as an inclusive space to make friends who share similar lived experiences. Eventually, Claire took on the role of VP of the UC Santa Barbara UK Club for almost 3 years, and then VP of UC Alumni UK for more than 3.5 years. She currently serves as the UC Alumni UK President, a position she's held since July 2024. Claire looks forward to the future of the UC UK Community and believes that her role as President is as much volunteering as it is a fun, social privilege.