Her thing is genentics

Helping families one step at a time

Vanessa Arredondo Roundup Reporter

Inside the offices of the Center for Sciences building are various doors decorated with plants and animals.

However, one door belonging to a certain faculty member, is special. On that door hangs a plaque that reads: Professor Jaime B. Beavers.

Beavers isn’t just her last name, she’s also extremely fond of the animal. Her door is covered with all things beaver related.

“It’s a great last name,” Beavers said. “I like it most because beavers are really eager, they’re hard workers, all things students should be.”

Five years ago, Professor Beavers was known as Professor Beavers, but as a prenatal genetic counselor. As a genetic counselor she would assess genetic risks for reproductive or personal health and provide information of all the possible options.

“Many individuals find that information useful for planning a delivery appropriately or to make special arrangements for children that may have special needs,” Beavers said.

“Of course, there’s always individuals who use the option for pregnancy termination.”

Originally, Beavers had not planned on being a genetic counselor. When studying for her bachelors degree in Psychobiology at UCLA, she was approached by one of her professors, head of the DNA laboratory, Wayne Grody with a proposition to shadow a genetic counselor. She accepted and applied to the program after that.

“I think he decided that because he thought I was a better people person than lab person. He said, ‘I think you enjoy talking and interacting with people more than you enjoy research work.’ He was right,” Beavers said.

When asked about hobbies in relation to genetics, Beavers jokingly replied that she had six boys, four her own and two as a result of her marriage.

In 2000, after having just barely graduated from UCLA and three weeks before going into graduate school at CSUN for a master’s in genetic counseling, Beavers married. Her family of four sons and her husband’s family of two sons united.

They “were drowning in children” so they mutually decided to not have another.

The marriage transition was easy for the boys, in fact, they hoped for that outcome.

“Our oldest boys were friends since kindergarten and they wanted