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VOLUME 137, ISSUE 31 | MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019
O L I V I A KOT L A R E K / AGGI E
CONQUERING THE SEARCH FOR HOUSING Advice for students seeking to live off-campus
FIVE COMMUNITY RETENTION AND RESOURCE CENTERS OFFER RESOURCES, PROGRAMMING Each center has initiatives to support different marginalized communities
JE R E M Y DA N G / AGGI E
BY ST EL L A T RA N city@theaggie.org Looking for housing may be a daunting task for incoming transfer students as well as new second-year students who are leaving their Segundo, Tercero or Cuarto spaces. While hunting for a new place to live is a sign of becoming a full-fledged adult, the excitement may wane with all the decisions students must make in order to secure housing. Rebecca C. Spin, a second-year design major at UC Davis, stressed the importance of securing housing at an early date before dense competition ensues, pressuring new students to find a place to live. “Definitely do it earlier rather than later — don’t leave it until the last minute,” Spin said. “I know some people have been absolutely left in the cold with that. Choose options that are financially good for you. Realize whether or not you’re going to be in control of the internet, water and power because we did not consider any of those [and] now, we are responsible for those things.” Shari Houston, the director of site management and resident relations at Tandem Properties, also indicated that starting early is crucial. “It can be challenging for first-time renters to find the right balance between rushing to sign too soon and waiting too long to start their housing search,” Houston said in an email interview. “It’s important to do your research and
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connect with your top-choice communities early.” Lorna Hyatt, the community manager for University Court, mentioned that most students start planning their housing in December, a year before their intended move-in date. “Most popular properties in Davis would start pre-leasing in December the year before,” Hyatt said. “University Court has [had] no vacancy for a number [of ] weeks now. I know that’s the case for a lot of the popular properties, and space can be found at some of the older properties that are further from campus. If you want to live within reasonable biking or walking distance in well-maintained properties that have good management, maintenance and reputation, those fill up quickly.” Spin also indicated, however, that there are more options besides apartments for students to live in. For instance, she chose to live in a house. “In our case, it was because we were living with five people, so [a house] was the most financially reasonable option for the amount of space we needed,” Spin said. “As it stands, it was an affordable and spacious option — really a nice option overall.” Spin further noted that students are not alone in their journeys to find housing. “Research, ask parents, ask other college students who have done this already,” Spin said. Also, seek out people who are in control of your
apartment or complex. In our case, we actually have a front office that deals with all of our main issues. Just talk to them because they will care for most of the problems — you just have to be able to know who can help you.” Hyatt emphasized the importance of researching outside of internet sources to get a better feel for housing complexes other than what is claimed online. “I’ve encountered students who come to Davis and they have not seen it before,” Hyatt said. “They are disappointed by what they are moving into if it doesn’t look like what it looks like online. If you are shopping online, you should try to connect with groups on campus about properties and what they truly are like versus what they look like online.” Students can access housing resources on the Tandem Properties website, which offers information about the individual lease program option for students who are facing last-minute decisions with housing. “For last minute housing, it might help to consider communities that offer an individual lease program option,” Houston said. “With these programs, you can still obtain the benefit of sharing the cost of living expenses with a larger household, but being on a separate lease ensures each leaseholder is responsible only for their own portion of rent — *** This article is continued online.
BY K E NTO N G O LDS BY campus@theaggie.org UC Davis is an undeniably diverse campus, as reports like the UC Davis Student Profile show. For this reason, the university offers numerous ways to uplift the varied identities of those within the student body. The most visible form that these efforts take is the collection of Community Retention and Resource Centers on campus. These five centers focus on different aspects of the individual, including race, ethnicity, personal interests, academics, sexuality and gender. The five centers that make up this network are the Center for Student Involvement (CSI); the Cross Cultural Center (CCC); the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Asexual, and Intersex (LGBTQIA) Resource Center; the Women’s Resources and Research Center (WRRC) and the Student Resource and Retention Center (SRRC). The CCC, the LGBTQIA Resource Center and the SRRC, are in the Student Community Center. The WRRC is in North Hall while the CSI is on the fourth floor of the Memorial Union. The CSI is the on-campus hub for everything having to do with registered student organizations (RSOs). There are over 700 RSOs at UC Davis, falling into various categories such as advocacy, political, religious, community service, health and more. Students
can browse the list of student organizations on the AggieLife website, run by CSI. In addition to just browsing the long list, though, there is also an “Involvement Calculator” offered by CSI to help students find a club that fits their interests. Jamie Allen, the leadership development and outreach specialist for CSI, explained the process of finding campus clubs in an email. “On the Involvement Calculator you tell us a little bit about yourself (identities, career goals, major, hobbies, etc.) and we send you back a custom list of RSO[’s] to consider joining,” said Jaime Allen. “It is one way CSI can help you find the right RSO to join from the hundreds on campus. After you get your list, you can come in and meet with one of our Involvement Mentors to talk more about the RSOs or get help reaching out to help to learn how to join.” The CCC traces its roots back to a hunger strike that took place in 1990 on the steps of Mrak Hall, where students presented three demands. These students wanted an investigation into alleged racism in the Spanish department, the establishment of an on-campus ethnic and cultural center as well as increased fulltime faculty in the ethnic studies departments. After the six day strike, the activists and the university reached an agreement and the CCC opened in 1992. The CCC has six values that guide its work in the
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community: advocacy; cultural competency; academic excellence, research and education; identity exploration and leadership development. This is done through the many programs that the CCC puts on each year, such as culture days like Black Family Day, La Gran Tardeada, the Powwow and the Asian American and Pacific Islander Night Market. The CCC also does other programming around things like race and ethnicity and disability activism, while also hosting retreats for campus communities. The LGBTQIA Resource Center’s mission is to “provide an open, safe, inclusive space and community that is committed to challenging sexism, cissexism/trans oppression/ transmisogyny, heterosexism, monosexism, and allosexism.” The mission recognizes that such “work requires a continued process of understanding and dismantling all forms of oppression.” Beyond this, the center provides numerous physical resources to students: a library, condoms and other sexual health supplies, a gender-affirmation clothing closet, a small food pantry and menstrual products. The center also provides something essential to self-expression: a space. “We provide space for folks to consistently study, have student organization meetings for events — I think that’s a huge piece on a day-to-day basis,”
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2 | MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019
Annual campus events to look forward to
Keep an eye out for these on-campus activities
Be on the lookout for these Davis city events Incoming students can partake in a number of 2019–20 Davis events
TREVOR GOODMAN/ AGGIE JUSTIN HAN / AGGIE
BY KE N TON G O L DS BY campus@theaggie.org Fall Quarter • Move-in Weekend • Welcome Week • Week 1: Community Resource and • Retention Centers • October 6: Involvement Fair on Quad (Student Org stuff — CSI) • Pajamarino • Homecoming • Sunset Fest • Involvement Fair • ASUCD Fall Elections — six Senate positions open up • Fall Career Fair
Winter Quarter • Mental Health Conference • ASUCD Winter Elections — six Senate positions and executive team positions open up • Career Fair Spring Quarter • Lawntopia • April: Picnic Day • May: Whole Earth Festival • Black Family Day • Asian American Pacific Islander Night Market • Powwow • La Gran Tardeada • May: LGBT Pride Month • Career Fair • Commencement ceremonies
Save the date: artsy events to have on your calendar this academic year
BY ST E LLA T RAN city@theaggie.org September Davis Cruise-In will host a car show on September 21, which serves as a place for students to engage with locals and talk about both classic and modern cars. The car show will be held at Sunstrom Hill Winery, from 5 to 7 p.m. October The City of Davis’ 14th Annual Davis Neighbors’ Night Out celebrates the community. Neighborhoods are encouraged to host informal block parties to get to know one another. Party Sponsors, such as apartment complexes and neighborhood associations will be in charge of dinners and socials. The celebration lasts from noon until 7 p.m. on October 13. The Farmer’s Market will have a Pumpkin Patch on October 26 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Everyone is invited to come in costumes for Halloween, with a chance to win free pumpkins. Games and live music will also be at the Pumpkin Patch. November The Davis Senior Center will be having a Holiday Craft Fair to support local artisans and crafters on November 2 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Davis Turkey Trot will last from 8 a.m.
to 12 p.m. on November 23 at the Civic Center Park. Live music, arts and crafts and other events for runners will be available throughout Davis residential neighborhoods. December The Farmer’s Market will host a Gift Basket Central from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on December 7. Free baskets and wrapping are available for the holiday season with the purchase of three market items. Holiday music and carolers will also partake at the Gift Basket Central. February The Davis Stampede consists of a half marathon, 10k and 5k routes with water stations around the course. The stampede starts at Playfields Park lasting from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on February 24. May The Tour de Cluck will be on May 23 at Central Park in celebration of everything chicken — including a bicycle chicken coop tour as well as education, art and food from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Davis Double Century will be at Davis Veterans Memorial Center at 5 p.m. on May 16, where cyclists come from everywhere, regionally, to meet and ride together. The route starts on 14th St. and B Street leading to flat farmland toward Esparto.
2019–20 UC Davis sports calendar
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BY ITZ E LT H G A M B OA arts@theaggie.org September RuPaul’s Drag Race: Werq the World Tour When it comes to Davis, students might have to travel a little ways to go to bigger events. Luckily, Sacramento is only a 20-minute Uber ride away. On Sept. 20, RuPaul’s Drag Race arrives in Sacramento at the Memorial Auditorium. Glow Run On Sept. 23, head over to the Hutchinson Field at 9 p.m. for a small run or if you’re feeling a little lousy, just head on over for a walk. This nighttime walk is free and glow sticks are provided. Sunset Fest On the first Friday of Fall Quarter, ASUCD puts on Sunset Fest, a free concert that livens up Davis. The concert starts around 6 p.m. and the music is sure to be heard from your dorms, but the closer you get to the Quad, the better. This event gives students a chance to win free merchandise and get to know a little more about what ASUCD has to offer. October International Festival Davis On Oct. 6, Davis hosts the International Festival. The festival is held at Central Park, which is just a short walk from anywhere on campus. If you have some time to sit back and browse around, the festival will have arts and crafts vendors, entertainment stages and culture booths. Jonas Brothers Concert On Oct. 15, see the Jonas Brothers live in concert at the Golden 1 Center. If you’ve ever felt like your 10-year-old self missed out on what could have been something amazing, then this is your chance to see the brothers live. Before they split up, again. November Turkey Trot Before you scrounge for all the food you can get during Thanksgiving, head over for some light running (or leisurely walking) during the Turkey Trot. This event takes place during Thanksgiving weekend.
December Holiday Tree Lighting On the first Friday in December, the traditional lighting of the Christmas Tree will take place in E Street Plaza. The tree lighting kicks off the Christmas season and is sure to put everyone in the holiday spirit. January Broadway On Tour When you’re tired of all the movie screens and cliche film plots, head over to the Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento to see “Dear Evan Hansen.” The show will run January 15 through January 26. So if you’re feeling up for an adventure, grab a ticket for any of those days. April Powwow The 48th-Annual Powwow will take place on Saturday, April 19 following the 4th-Annual Indigenous Arts Market on Friday, April 18. Head to the UC Davis Quad to learn a little more about Native American culture and support small businesses by buying different food or unique jewelry. Picnic Day Save the date for April 18 because that’s when Picnic Day is here! Picnic Day is Davis’ biggest event, and is also the largest student-run event in the nation, and people from all over come to visit Davis for this one day extravaganza. The jampacked event can be explored with an itinerary or it can be one of those days where you go with the flow. Either way, this family-friendly event is free for everyone invited and gives everyone the opportunity to let loose. May Danzantes del Alma Annual Show Every year, the ballet folklorico group on campus, Danzantes del Alma, puts on their annual show performing different regions at the ARC. The regions range from Chihuahua to Baja, Calif. and this last year they had their dancers blindfolded as they danced with machetes. What a way to set the bar for this upcoming year. Whole Earth Festival UC Davis will host their annual Whole Earth Festival in May. The festival will include a wide variety of entertainment and vegetarian only food. This sustainable event gives students the opportunity to buy homemade crafts, delicacies or get a henna tattoo.
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BY DO MINIC FARIA sports@theaggie.org Remaining Football Schedule Saturday, September 28 vs. Montana Grizzlies Aggie Stadium Homecoming — Saturday, October 12 vs. Cal Poly Mustangs Aggie Stadium Saturday, October 26 vs. Weber State Wildcats Aggie Stadium Saturday, November 16 vs. Montana State Bobcats Aggie Stadium 66th Annual Causeway Classic — Saturday, November 23 vs. Sacramento State Hornets Hornet Stadium at Sacramento State
Fall Sports Football (August to December) Men’s Water Polo (September to November) Volleyball (August to November) Field Hockey (August to November) Cross Country (September to November) Men’s and Women’s Soccer (August to November) Winter Sports Men’s and Women’s Basketball (November to March) Equestrian (November to April) Gymnastics (January to March) Lacrosse (January to April) Swimming and Diving (October to February) Spring Sports Baseball (February to May) Softball (February to May) Beach Volleyball (March to April) Men’s and Women’s Tennis (January to April) Women’s Water Polo (January to April) Outdoor Track and Field (March to May) Year-Round Men’s and Women’s Golf
MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019 | 3
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Meet the Davis City Council members More than student government: ASUCD is in charge of many events, services on campus
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QUINN SPOONER / AGGIE
Over 1,000 students are involved with association BY AND REA ESQU E T IN campus@theaggie.org When students are new to campus, they might not realize that services they use on a regular basis — like the Coffee House, Unitrans buses and the Bike Barn — are actually all run by students like themselves. The student government of UC Davis, known as the Associated Students of the University of California, Davis is in charge of these services. More than just student government, which is composed of 12 senators, an executive office and multiple commissions and committees, ASUCD is in charge of 20 units that each provide a service to students and allow them to get involved with different parts of campus. These units focus on everything from media that provides information to students to food insecurity to environmental awareness. Units like the CoHo and CoHo South Cafe feed students every day. Several other units are also completely in charge of planning some of the biggest events on campus, including Picnic Day and Whole Earth Festival. These two events draw large crowds to the City of Davis and UC Davis’ campus each Spring Quarter. Picnic Day, for example, is the largest student-organized event in the nation. “Whole Earth Festival is a three-day art and music festival that is completely zero-waste and student run,” said Tinka Peterka, one of this year’s festival directors and a third-year design major. “We have about 35 staff positions […] Our staff
is an incredible group of creative, supportive and hard working people, and it just feels like family.” UC Davis has also hosted a variety of artists over the years, including Kendrick Lamar, Drake and Khalid. Entertainment Council, another unit of ASUCD, is responsible for planning these concert events. The unit also puts on Sunset Fest and Lawntopia, popular events in the fall and spring, respectively. “The unit is run entirely by students and offers work experience in talent buying, marketing, productions and event planning,” said Liz O’Neill, director of Entertainment Council and fourthyear managerial economics and psychology double major. Even the buses seen around campus and Downtown Davis are part of an ASUCD unit. Unitrans began its services with two vintage London double decker buses in 1968 after they were purchased by ASUCD. Since then, Unitrans has partnered with the City of Davis and expanded to 48 buses that service 22,000 people around campus and the city each day. Even though it is such a large operation, Unitrans has only 14 career staff — the rest of the operation is students. “A lot of our shop mechanics are students and we fix a lot of our buses in house,” said Akshara Bangalore, a human resources manager at Unitrans and third-year communication major. Other units include Aggie Studios, which allows students to gain experience in video production; The Pantry, which provides students with free food; KDVS, the campus radio station; and The California Aggie, the campus’ student-run newspaper.
Mayor, city council members welcome incoming UC Davis students BY TAYLO R MART INEZ city@theaggie.org The Davis City Council consists of the mayor, mayor pro tempore and three other city council members. The job of the council is to oversee the operational aspects of running the city of Davis, thereby giving support to the community. Brett Lee: Mayor of Davis UC Davis alumnus Brett Lee is the current mayor of the City of Davis. Lee has been a part of the city council since 2012 and his term in office ends in 2020. Lee welcomed new students with enthusiasm, noting the multiple ways they can get civically engaged within the city. “I would start with the Farmer[s] Market at Central Park,” Lee said. “There are also many clubs and organizations on campus in which students can become involved.” Gloria Partida: Mayor Pro Tem Gloria Partida, also a UC Davis alumna, was elected to the city council in 2018. She has been involved with the Davis community for many years — in addition to being a part of city council, Partida sets time aside for community service. “I have been volunteering for a long time and run a nonprofit in town,” Partida said. “I saw this as the next logical step to be able to set policies. The city council needs different perspectives, and I found that my perspective as a Latina was lacking.”
Partida welcomed incoming students, emphasizing Davis’ friendly atmosphere. “I would tell them to jump in,” Partida said. “There are many ways to get involved in this community. Davis is generally a friendly city, and it is easy to find something to be interested in.” Partida described the civil engagement of the City of Davis’ citizens. “I love the engagement of the city’s citizens,” Partida said. “You can come to a city council meeting any day of the week, and it will be crowded with citizens who advocate for what they’re passionate about.” Dan Carson: City Councilman City Councilman Dan Carson is an alumnus of UC Davis as well as a former reporter for the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper. Before being elected to the Davis City Council, Carson was the chair of the city’s Finance and Budget Commission. “I love Davis” Carson said. “I have raised three boys here with my wife, and it is a great place to raise a family. Davis also has an amazing park system and recreation department.” The members of the city council are required to attend regular meetings where they discuss concerns of the community, with the goal of making the city a better place to live. Contact information for members on the council as well as access to the agendas for future meetings can be found on the City of Davis’ website. The members are also available to speak with at community events throughout the year.
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
4 | MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019 MA R KU S KA EPPELI / AGGIE
THE BEST LATE-NIGHT EATERIES IN TOWN
Red 88 Noodle Bar is open as late as 2:30 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and is open until midnight the rest of the week. They offer their own delivery service as well as delivery through DoorDash and UberEATS. First-year history major Erica Payne generally goes to late night in the Segundo DC for late night food cravings or to one of the markets for the sake of convenience. Payne lives in Cuarto, where the DC closes at 8 p.m. and does not offer late night. And, if she is in the mood for “something special,” she goes downtown — two of her favorites are Open Rice Kitchen and Burgers and Brew. Open Rice Kitchen is open until midnight, save for Thursday, Friday and Saturday when it doesn’t close until 2 a.m. Similarly, Burgers and Brew serves customers until 3 a.m. on the weekends. “I’m probably going to have to be more prepared about what I buy at stores [next year],”
Payne said. “I think there are definitely a lot of options if you want a late night snack. There are a lot of places that are open at night.” Third-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major Sereen Banna goes to Old Teahouse, which is open until midnight everyday, or In-NOut, which is open until either 1 a.m. or 1:30 a.m., for late night snacks while she’s studying. Banna also occasionally find herself in need of a caffeine boost for late-night studying sessions and loves that Dutch Bros is open 24/7. “I would recommend exploring Davis before you settle into a pattern or routine,” Banna said. “Unless you explore Davis, you won’t know where to go for food — you’re going to stick to the basics, which is what we did in our house for a while. Everyone in Davis has their specific taste buds, and they all like something different, but there are some hidden gems here that Yelp can show you.”
enthusiastic reviews from many students. The course has a five star rating on Rate My Professors, with a level of difficulty of 1.7 out of five. Arianne Bloore, a first-year animal science major, explained that the class was perfect to take as a freshman because the professor gave straightforward lectures and quizzes and was able to connect class concepts to the real world. “Not only was the professor amazing, but he was really good at connecting what he was teaching to the world around us — like how philosophy influences society which influences how we treat disease as a human race,” Bloore said. Another popular course that many students register for is Human Development 12: Human Sexuality, or HDE 12. The class covers topics including development of sexuality, intimacy and reproductive health. Madelin Smith, a first-year biological sciences major, felt that HDE 12 benefitted her in a number of ways. Not only was the class manageable — being three units and meeting only two days a week — but it also taught her valuable information that her high school never addressed. “I think it’s really important for any person to learn about sexual health, and all of the things that come along with sexuality,” Smith said. “A lot of times, [sexuality is] seen as taboo and not talked about, when it really is important and should be discussed, especially on a college campus.”
Smith also suggested that if freshmen are unsure of their major, they should take a few standard prerequisites to figure out what they may be passionate about — such as general chemistry, principles of economics or introduction to communication. Psychology is another field that many students choose to study. Psychology 1: General Psychology, or PSC 1, is one of the larger lower-division courses at Davis, enrolling around 500 students per quarter. First-year Virginia Beall confidently declared her psychology major after taking both PSC 1 and PSC 41. She explained that PSC 1 piqued her interest in the field, and after taking PSC 41 — the next prerequisite for the major — she was able to develop specific career goals. “Psychology 41 benefitted me as a freshman because it taught me a significant amount of statistics and research methodologies,” Beall said. “The psychology courses I took in college helped me realize how passionate I am about this major. These classes really truly helped me in deciding my future career of clinical psychology.” These are only a few of the classes that were named as top freshman class choices. The California Aggie has ranked NUT 10 as the “Best GE Course” several years in a row. Similarly, other individuals named VEN 3, ANT 2, PLS 21, HIS 80 and BIS 10 to be their first-year favorites.
Students share favorite places to grab food late at night BY ANJINI VENUGOPAL features@theaggie.org Whether at the Dining Commons or through a delivery service, there are many ways to satisfy late-night food cravings in Davis. This year’s best late night snack, according to The California Aggie’s Best of Davis survey, was In-N-Out. The fast food joint is a favorite of many, due to the affordability and consistency it provides. For students who live or have lived in the dorms, the words “late night” may bring to mind the DC’s offerings of chicken wings, rice bowls and warm cookies. In past years, the Segundo, Cuarto and Tercero DC’s have provided “late night” from 8:30 p.m. until midnight. To the dismay of some students, however, only the Segundo DC will serve
late night in the 2019-20 school year. This makes it all the more necessary for students to be aware of their after-dark dining options. “I think it’s pretty unfortunate that late night is closing everywhere except Segundo next year because I really like late night and it’s pretty convenient,” said Tanya Saxena, a first-year biological sciences major. “I go pretty often, especially when I have classes that end later such as night lab. It’s very relaxing to go to late night after night lab, even if it’s just for a bowl of cereal.” Saxena added that late night usually offers comfort food, which she claims are best enjoyed in the later hours after a long day. When she wants a different late-night food choice, Saxena said she typically uses food delivery apps such as UberEATS or DoorDash. Some of her go-to places are Red 88 Noodle Bar and Woodstock’s.
STUDENTS RECOMMEND: TOP CLASS PICKS FROM FRESHMEN YEAR Current first-years recommend SAS 13, HDE 12, PSC 1
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BY CLAIRE DODD features@theaggie.org One of the largest differences between high school and college that incoming freshmen often note is the newfound freedom to choose classes. The classic ‘one schedule fits all’ model, complete with an English, science, math and history class, is much less common in a university setting. Similarly, because many first-years have yet to fully decide on their major, they may opt for
a more diverse schedule to help them find their passion. Students are able to pick from a wide array of options. There are over 100 different subjects to choose from on Schedule Builder — ranging from Anthropology to Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology. While this assortment may seem daunting at first, there a few standard classes that most first-years seem to favor. Science and Society 13: Disease and Society, more commonly known as SAS 13, has gotten
STUDYING ABROAD BROADENS HORIZONS, OFFERS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES Financial aid, diversity counseling, advising helps make studying abroad more accessible QU IN N S P O O N E R / AGGI E
BY ALLY RUSSELL campus@theaggie.org Studying abroad gives students the opportunity to explore different cultures, see the world in different ways and broaden their horizons. Traveling to a different country and navigating life as a foreign student presents amazing opportunities, unforgettable experiences and incredible challenges, each of which are reasons to consider studying abroad. UC Davis students have access to quarter-long and summer programs, seminars, in-
ternships, independent exchange opportunities and UC-wide programs. The UC Davis Study Abroad office and major advisors can help students plan for their study abroad experience as early as freshman year. Kelly Lucas, a third-year animal science major, studied abroad at the University of Edinburgh during Fall Quarter 2018. Lucas’ program is offered through the University of California Education Abroad Program (UCEAP). She studied alongside both Scottish and other international students. “I went to the study abroad office super early
and planned exactly what classes I was going to have to take [so that] the classes at Edinburgh [would] properly transfer,” Lucas said. Lucas recommended reaching out to major advisors or the study abroad office as early as a year before students plan to study abroad. Lucas also participated in a veterinary internship while abroad, which gave her valuable international experience that she hopes will make her a more competitive candidate when she applies to veterinary graduate programs. UC Davis quarter abroad programs are offered during the fall, winter and spring. Students have the opportunity to study alongside other UC Davis students led by a UC Davis faculty member in an international setting. Ranging from 10 to 16 weeks long, students are able to earn anywhere between 13 and 20 units. Courses vary by quarter and offer a wide range of subject material: current programs offered in Fall Quarter 2019 include language acquisition in Argentina, writing internships in Australia, culture in Italy, healthcare in Mexico and organic chemistry in the United Kingdom, among others. For students who feel too overwhelmed to study abroad during the school year, UC Davis also offers summer abroad courses that are an appealing option for many STEM majors. Programs take place in Asia, Europe and Latin America and topics include life sciences, microbiology, fashion, viticulture, writing, thermodynamics and many more. More than 30 programs allow students to take advantage of small class sizes of 18 to 30 students that are built around UC Davis course standards. Shorter than quarter-long programs, summer abroad programs are also a more affordable option for students. Katie Lewis, a third-year civil engineering major, participated in the Sustainable Cities of Northern Europe program during Summer 2018. During the program, Lewis had the opportunity to explore Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland while learning about the plans, systems and designs for urban sustainability.
“With my major, it would have been really difficult to incorporate study abroad with my course load,” Lewis said. “To me, it made the most sense to do a summer program. This allowed me to complete units while actually getting ahead of my normal schedule.” In addition to UC Davis faculty-led programs, another popular option for students is UCEAP. These are more independent study abroad opportunities where UC Davis students study and travel with students from different UC campuses, and even other U.S. universities. Some programs offer students the opportunity to study at foreign universities with local students, stay with local families or apartments and explore different national settings more freely. Others are organized around UC centers abroad. UCEAP offers more country and course options for students and can be a quarter, semester or year long. Students can also opt to study abroad through programs that are not affiliated with UC. Laurel Hinshelwood, a third-year Spanish and international relations double major, took advantage of a program offered through the University Studies Abroad Consortium, an external study abroad program. Hinshelwood studied in San Sebastian, Spain alongside local Spanish students. “Not only will you learn about the culture and people, but you learn a lot about yourself and being in situations outside of your comfort zone,” Hinshelwood said. “I was there for only a semester, but I experienced so much personal growth. You have to adapt and live in such an unfamiliar situation.” Organized around the ambitious goal of achieving a global education for all students, the UC Davis Study Abroad office offers many resources to make studying abroad a feasible option for students of all backgrounds. The office has resources to increase the accessibility and diversity of students participating in study abroad experiences, with specific resources for students of color, LGBTQIA+ students, DACA students and students with disabilities.
MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019 | 5
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
LUIS LOPEZ / AGGIE
Freshmen and seniors compare college experiences Graduating seniors advise freshmen to be bold, attend office hours ANJIN I V E N UG OPAL features@theaggie.org As the academic year comes to a close — with papers yet to be finished and finals looming — first-year students and graduating seniors look back at their experiences whether in the past one or previous four or more years. For both groups, huge changes took place: freshmen managed to
last an entire year away from home, while seniors wrapped up their college experience. If Elizabeth Morgan, first-year undeclared student, were to describe this past year in one word, she’d pick “exciting.” She explained that although the many new experiences and unfamiliar people were nerve-wracking at first, it was a “good new” that provided her a fresh start. Morgan considers herself a little shy, and ini-
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Where to experience live music in and around Davis Davis, Sacramento, SF teeming with music AND R EW W I L L I AMS arts@theaggie.org
page. Delta of Venus is located at 122 B Street in Davis.
Woodstock’s Pizza: Every Friday at 11 p.m., Woodstock’s Pizza hosts a “Friday Night Alive” session. Patrons can bring their own equipment and play for the restaurant. On Saturdays, local bands take the stage and start performing at 10 p.m. Woodstock’s has a wide range of decently-priced food options that aren’t pizza, including salads, sandwiches and vegan options. Woodstock’s is located at 219 G Street in Davis.
G Street Wunderbar: G Street Wunderbar hosts karaoke nights, DJs and live music, all of which make for a fun night out. In case the music isn’t enough to entice you, the bar has arcade games, pool and darts. This bar is 21 and up, so first years will need to wait a while before enjoying Wednesday Funk Night and Faded Fridays. G Street Wunderbar is located at 228 G Street in Davis.
Armadillo Music: Armadillo Music is a small shop filled with classic records, CDs and some books on the second floor. Their in-store shows give off an indie vibe. Local bands or musicians play in a small corner, allowing customers to peruse the $1 vinyl bins and shop as they please. Musicians featured at Armadillo Music include art rock band Swimming in Bengal & Grex and psychedelic rock band Occult Stereo. Upcoming concerts can be found on their Facebook page and website. Armadillo Music is located at 207 F Street in Davis.
Ace of Spades: A 20-minute drive away from Davis is Ace of Spades, a concert hall which hosts artists from every genre. Nothing takes your mind off those four chapters that you need to read by Monday like fist-pumping with 1,000 of your closest friends. Upcoming concerts include Jimmy Eat World, Parachute and The Struts. The line-up and tickets can be found on their website. Ace of Spades is located at 1417 R Street in Sacramento.
Delta of Venus: This Davis coffee shop, set up like a scene from a movie, is the perfect spot to take in some culture. While they don’t host events as frequently as other venues, the experience is unlike any other. Delta of Venus encourages their customers to dance and let loose on the patio while the artist plays. Come to Delta Venus on June 22nd to catch the second day of Davis’ annual Music Festival. Information about upcoming shows can be found on their Facebook
Golden 1 Center: The Golden 1 Center, home to the Sacramento Kings and major headliners, is also located in Sacramento. While not usually the most frugal option for live music, nothing can beat a major concert. Upcoming artists include Khalid, The Jonas Brothers, Michael Buble and John Mayer. Tickets and information can be found on their website. The Golden 1 Center is located at 500 David J Stern Walk in Sacramento.
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tially found herself not enjoying her first year as much as she expected. She reached out to some of her senior friends who gave her advice that she took to heart. “I wasn’t enjoying [college] for a little while, just because I felt lonely and I just missed my friends from home,” Morgan said. “And I thought maybe I should transfer, but [my senior friends] were like, ‘Stick it out, stick out your first year and see if you like it,’ and by the end I ended up loving it.” One of Morgan’s friends, Elizabeth Costa, a fourth-year managerial economics major, described her first year at UC Davis as “what set the course for the rest of college.” Morgan got along well with her freshman year roommate — incidentally also her current best friend — and found a group of friends with whom she’s stayed “incredibly close.” “Facing those first few months with positivity and being willing to put myself in situations that pushed my comfort zone made the time so much more enjoyable,” Costa said. “I know that not ev-
eryone is so fortunate in their dorm situations, but I encourage them to be bold and strike up a conversation with a stranger in the DC, or go to that random event [...] You never know what it will lead to.” Morgan followed Costa’s advice, and now, at the year’s end, she said meeting new people was the highlight of her freshman year, as well as the common thread tying together all of her favorite experiences. Morgan particularly enjoyed the events put on by her dorm, conversing with new people in classes and attending sporting events with friends. She has a few goals for the next few years when she will be living off campus. “I look forward to being able to explore more off campus [...] and meet more new people,” Morgan said. “[I’ll] probably go to more events than I went to this year and join more clubs, too.” Costa described the past four years she spent at UC Davis as a “madhouse.” She said through-
SENIORFROSHREFLECT on 11
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
6 | MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019
Opinion THE
C ALIFORNIA A GGIE
E DI TOR I AL B OAR D
They say 25 is old for a student — I’m 35, so thanks.
KAELYN TUERMER-LEE Editor-in-Chief
The “wise” thoughts of a non-traditional student
HANNAH HOLZER Managing Editor KENTON GOLDSBY Campus News Editor STELLA TRAN City News Editor HANADI JORDAN Opinion Editor CLAIRE DODD Features Editor LIZ JACOBSON Arts & Culture Editor DOMINIC FARIA Sports Editor CECILIA MORALES Science & Tech Editor
HANNAN WALIULLAH New Media Manager JUSTIN HAN Photo Director OLIVIA KOTLAREK Design Director ARIANA GREEN Layout Director SABRINA HABCHI Copy Chief ISABELLA BLOOM Copy Chief ZOË REINHARDT Website Manager SYDNEY ODMAN Social Media Manager LAURIE PEDERSON Business Development Manager
BY LAU RE N FRAU STO lrfrausto@ucdavis.edu A non-traditional student is one who returns to school over the age of 25 and, according to the 2019 UC Davis Student Profile, my “elderly peers” and I constitute only 6% of the the Davis undergraduate population. The fact our nation’s academic institutions frame 25 as abnormally old is rather horrifying — but what do I know, I’m old. In accounting for the fact that some undergraduates over 25 enrolled before they were 25, I estimate there are about 800 of us non-traditional students on campus. In an undergraduate population of over 30,000, we are rare and precious gems. Oh, the stories we can tell. I cannot speak for all of us, but for myself and many of my friends who transfered to Davis after long gaps in our academic careers (or for the very first time), we are fascinating people. I, for one, am not a 35-year-old college super-super-super senior because life went according to plan. The conventions of the English language dictate that when someone says, “it didn’t go as planned,” they don’t mean, “I was diverted from my planned course of action because circumstances panned out much better than anticipated.” My life’s resume is cinematic — some might even say it’s horrifying. But who cares? There are approximately 9,000 new students going through some form of orientation who can’t relate to being a non-traditional student — instead of rehashing the specifics, how about we look into the more universal takeaways that I’ve garnered from this experience? Age is really just a number. Kind of. I just joined Instagram last week and remain bitter that I had to become a hacker to make it work on my computer. That’s just ridiculous. But while there really is a certain build up of life for which only time on Earth can account, some people will never build up the emotional maturity to match their numerical age. Spending my days with 18 to 22-year-olds made this crystal clear. There are teenages who are, in many significant ways, “older” than people I know in their 30s. Now, I don’t think we can easily blanket-age people. For
Humor: Tercero cow wears disguise to avoid families during orientation season HEIFER CAUGHT GOING IN-COW-NEATO
BY M A D EL I N E KU MAGA I mskumagai@ucdavis.edu What was supposed to be a fun introduction to life at UC Davis for incoming freshman James Daly ended in butt-hurt. Daly, recently admitted for biochemistry, was attending orientation and hoped to get a cliche photo with a Tercero cow after registering for classes. Spoiler alert: he did not. “I’m just so upset,” said Daly’s mother, Kate Weiner-Daly. “I took Jimmy to campus so he could get registered for classes and to take a picture of my little man with those cows by the dorms. My precious was already sad because he couldn’t get the best Chem 2A professor, Dr. Startlate, and also had to sign-up for a 7 to 10 p.m. lab. Isn’t that right, precious?” Daly shrugged. “As you can see, he’s very upset,” Weiner-Daly continued. “So yeah, I thought he would cheer up once he got a picture with the cows. AND LO AND BEHOLD, not a single cow was in the pen by the dorms. Un-freaking-believable. I’m giving this orientation a one-star review on Yelp, and the
school will be hearing from my lawyer.” The Daly family was not the only ones to notice a lack of lactate-rs that weekend. Numerous parent-child duos called the UC Davis police department to report the absent cows. Officers sent to investigate the case of missing moos suspected it to be the work of the notorious Davis Beef Thief. In the midst of conducting the interview with the Dalys, Campus News reporter Vicky Cattleman noticed a strange figure in a grey hoodie, sunglasses and ball cap slinking around the corner of Mahogany Hall. Cattleman approached what she thought was a fellow human being when she realized that this “person” was actually one of the missing cows in disguise. “Ugh, can you paparazzi just leave me alone?” Cow 2789 said. “It’s bad enough with all the parents and their little brats trying to get a photo with me ‘cause it’s orientation season. My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard, but I don’t WANT them in my yard.” “I see, Miss 2789. I’ll let you go enjoy your weekend,” said Cattleman. Thanks, you a real one,” said 2789, finger-gunning and walking into the
BY ROS E Y MO RE ART Y rosey@morearty.org
example, I believe some aspects of who I am resemble a senile and bitter 97-year-old, while other aspects resemble a barely-learning-how-to-walk toddler — but these generally average out. The people I associate with most are my fellow students (a decade or more younger than me) and professors (a decade or more older than me). This unique experience showed me that numerical age and emotional age rarely align perfectly. Recognizing this potential for variation in age and emotional maturity can help us have more compassion for ourselves and others, and recognize that it’s important to respect people of all ages at where they are. Making comparisons. Everyone, student or otherwise, can benefit from a lesson in not being competitive or comparing ourselves to other people. As a 35-year-old undergraduate, I had to figure out how to stop doing this long ago or I wouldn’t even bother getting out of bed. The folks I went to high school with, for example, have advanced degrees, houses, children and boats. Indeed, I have found that it’s all about that stupid, corny, TOTALLY TRUE adage embroidered on frilly pillows and painted on everything sold on Etsy: it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. Because what a cool freaking journey! Obviously the destination is crucial, too, but I stopped “keeping my eye on the prize.” I won’t forget I’m here for a degree, but assuming I maintain a minimum baseline of responsibility, I’d rather focus on the fact that yesterday, I got to combine my two favorite things — poetry and science fiction — in an English paper. I gorged myself on delicious tofu spring rolls and said hi to the cat downtown that hangs out around Zia’s. At one point, I literally laughed until I cried despite, but also because, the fact that I was so sleep deprived from writing the aforementioned paper. Oh dear. It’s like all that corny Etsy-embroidery-grade crap is true. Now we’re at the “Live in the moment!” moment: Tomorrow I get to take the train into Sac and go study in a coffee shop outside of Davis. That’s what being a 35-year-old, non-traditional student taught me. And now I’ve completely lost all of you (within a certain range on the emotional maturity spectrum) to eyerolls and Instagram scrolling #ageism.
MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019 | 7
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Comparing Davis coffee shops DUTCH BROS., PHILZ, STARBUCKS, PEET’S, TEMPLE OR MISHKA’S BY G A BRI E L A H E R N A N DE Z arts@ucdavis.edu Everyone at some point in their college career is tasked with choosing their go-to coffee spot. It might seem intimidating to try and choose from the overwhelming number of coffee shops available in Davis, but hopefully this guide will prove insightful. When trying to choose where to go, there are a number of factors to take into consideration, ranging from the flavor of coffee to the atmosphere offered. If you’re looking for somewhere that’s perfect in a time crunch and can offer coffee with a satisfyingly sweet taste yet also enough caffeine to keep you up during your all-nighter, Dutch Bros. on Olive Drive is for you. With their cheery customer service, Dutch Bros. is always quick to finish an order at their drive-thru window. They also reward customer loyalty by providing a stamp card that awards a free drink after enough purchases. The most common coffee shop hangs for students are Starbucks and Peet’s Coffee. You can never go wrong with either — both offer more straight-forward and classically popular drinks. Starbucks has more options for sweeter beverages and Peet’s drinks have a stronger coffee flavor. There are several Starbucks locations across Davis, including one on 2nd St. and in the University Mall center. Peet’s can be found on E Street, the Covell Marketplace, at the ARC and in the Silo on campus. Also available in Downtown Davis on 2nd Street is Philz Coffee, offering a vibrant, warmly-colored interior and inviting couches for lounging or reading. Once you enter, you are greeted by your own barista who can alter your third-wave coffee drink to your liking.
The food is very fresh and there’s a selection of healthy options to choose from. If you want coffee that is a bit stronger than your local coffee chain, Philz offers experience to help you build your own, personalized coffee palate that better fits your taste. Practically across the street from Philz is Mishka’s, a tranquil and serene cafe that envelops customers in a calming atmosphere. The rustic building emits an inviting vibe to study in, even though it gets cramped on busy days. The coffee is stronger, but it’s of great quality and taste. Mishka’s also offers a stamp card. The pastries offered lean more on the sweet side and some drinks, like a cappuccino, might be accompanied with a chocolate-covered espresso bean. While all these coffee shops are relatively affordable,Temple Coffee Roasters on G Street offers artisan coffee to splurge on. The cafe is aesthetically pleasing, with long wooden tables and stools and twinkling lights wrapped around the trees outside. The drinks are made with high quality coffee beans and the baristas know their craft. It’s a popular venue for students to visit and study in. The coffee shops in Davis all vary and have their own unique qualities that make them stand out. As a coffee addict, it’s hard to stick to only one coffee shop and I choose where to go based on what I’m in the mood for and craving that day. If I want to get a strong cappuccino and am looking to be productive, I tend to head toward Mishka’s. If it’s a warm day and I want a refreshing Mint Mojito iced coffee and a place to relax and read for a bit, I’m drawn toward the comforting couches of Philz. If I want to indulge myself with a Mexican Mocha and lavender muffin, I’m on my way to Temple.
D ISC L A I M ER: Th e v iews a n d o p i ni o ns ex p re ss e d by i nd i vidu al colu mn ists be lon g to th e colu mn ists alon e and do no t necessari l y i ndi cate the vi ews and opi n i o n s h eld by The C al i fo rni a Ag g i e. P l e as e addre ss le tte r s to th e e ditor to opin ion @ th eaggi e.o rg. ISSUE DESIGNED BY ARIANA GREEN | JONATHAN CHEN | PATTIE CHEN | CINDY CHEUNG | ADAN JUNAID | OLIVIA KOTLAREK | SHEREEN NIKZAD | YOON RHA | SYDNEE RODRIGUEZ | AMY YE
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019 | 8
BY CAR OLI NE R UTTEN arts@theaggie.org
Television: “The Simple Life”
U C DAVIS SCHEDU LE B U ILDER
Freshmen Technology Tips to Help Navigate College Transition Helpful, hidden applications for students to enhance the college experience BY MI C HEL L E WON G science@theaggie.org As Spring Quarter draws to a close at UC Davis, and high school seniors elsewhere prepare to make the college transition, the time has come for incoming freshmen to type “UC Davis” into their Google search bars, looking for advice on how to start off their college careers. There are some hidden gems that do not necessarily come up through an initial search, however. Here are a few of UC Davis’ secret tools to help navigate your time here. UC Davis Schedule Helper Google extension Although the importance of Schedule Builder in plan-
ning out classes has become a fact evident to all UC Davis students, some may not know of Google Chrome’s extension which allows students to view which of their classes conflict through a color-coded system. Rather than switch back and forth between list view and calendar view, this extension allows students to see right off the bat which classes they can fit into their schedule. And, if a teacher is on RateMyProfessor, clicking on their name will send you straight to their RateMyProfessor page. Pages on Facebook Rather than buying textbooks or iClickers for full price on online websites or from the UC Davis bookstore, students have the opportunity to purchase the same products for a
much lower price or haggle for a more reasonable one through the Textbook Exchange page. Students can also request certain materials they need through these exchange pages and other students can offer to sell their old supplies. Other useful pages on Facebook include UC Davis Ride Sharing, Free & For Sale and UC Davis Off-Campus Housing. Be sure to look for and request access to your UC Davis freshmen class page as well! Wildfire For up-to-date information on recent crimes, advice on what courses to take or campus gossip, Wildfire is commonly used as the go-to app for campus information. In addition to being a news source, Wildfire may also be used as a social
media app to talk about local parties, campus crushes or just late night thoughts. UniTransNow Although the campus buses offer pamphlets explaining routes and route schedules for each bus line, UniTransNow serves as an easy app that explains where the buses are located in real-time and which bus stops are nearby. TapRide When students feel unsafe walking back home after a late night of studying — or when it’s pouring rain outside — they are able to call a Safe Ride through the TapRide app and a vehicle will come to their location to pick them up and drop them off. Safe Ride is a service offered through the university.
On-campus research opportunities at UC Davis Advice for incoming students, how to become involved BY KA E LYN TUERM E R- L EE science@theaggie.org UC Davis, being a large research institution, has a number of opportunities for undergraduates to get involved with on-campus labs. Other than establishing a personal connection with other students, professors and faculty, other ways to find out about lab positions include attending Road to Research seminars, becoming familiar with the College of Biological Sciences faculty and signing up for the Office of Research quarterly email newsletter. Labs range from research topics such as neurobiology, physiology and behavior to chemistry to psychology. Alec Avey, a recent UC Davis graduate and current research specialist in the Functional Molecular Biology (FMB) Lab, described the process of cell culture on which he works. “I work in the tissue culture side of things, so that involves cell culture work as well as engineering tendon fibroblasts — in our case, ligament fibroblasts,” Avey said. “So we take cells, we culture them in plates and then we eventually engineer these cells into actual, functioning ligaments, which we can then test [...] I personally do work with inflammation, so I always treat my constructs with some type of cytokine that will cause inflammation and then, at this point, we’re trying to find a way to prevent those
effects of inflammation on our tendon and ligaments.” The FMB lab is run by Keith Baar, a professor of molecular exercise physiology in the department of neurobiology, physiology and behavior at UC Davis. Avey became involved in the lab four years ago as a freshman undergraduate after a freshman seminar sparked his interest in research and led him to reach out to various professors with research labs. Although he reached out to four or five professors, Avey said he only received two responses. “I think the biggest thing is, as a freshman, especially, you kind of assume you’re going to be washing dishes or something,” Avey said. “If you have friends on campus, you can kind of use them as a gauge to what professors are actually letting freshmen — or even just undergrads in general — contribute, which is something I didn’t know about, so I didn’t know how awesome of a lab this was when I joined [...] That, and the fact that most professors don’t respond to your first email, that’s just the reality, they’re usually super busy people. You just have to keep emailing. I got rejected, no response on three or four emails and then the last two I sent, I got responses.”Avey recommended that undergraduates get involved with labs earlier on in their college career, as it enables the student to take on additional responsibilities, their own project and helps with post-graduate options.
“It’s the best thing to do, especially if you slack in your classes — your research can kind of make up for the mistakes you make in school,” Avey said. “For me, directly, I am going to grad school here solely because of this position I got randomly from an email.” Benjamin Tucker, a firstyear biochemistry and molecular biology major at UC Davis, found out about the FMB lab during Fall Quarter by looking at the college of biological sciences staff directory. “I found Dr. Baar’s research to be very interesting and had planned on trying to talk to him about working in the lab my second year,” Tucker said via email. “However, I got very lucky when I met another person who worked in the lab and he talked to me and helped me in talking to Dr. Baar and beginning to work in the lab.” Tucker detailed the benefits to getting involved with lab research early on. “For one, you are getting real experience and surrounding yourself with peers, graduate students and researchers who are all interested in a similar field as yourself,” Tucker said. “Along with this, you get hands-on experience of what it’s like to work in a lab, work independently on a project, and become familiar with typical procedures and techniques. Even if you don’t end up completely enjoying it, at least you figured that out early on!” Tucker described the most important thing he learned about the process about getting into a lab.
“I think that just showing persistence and a genuine desire goes a long way,” Tucker said. “If you don’t hear back after emailing a bunch of professors, try approaching them in person to show that you are genuinely interested in working for them.” Lucas Smith, an assistant professor in the department of neurobiology, physiology and behavior at UC Davis, runs the MyoMatrix Lab. “We call it the MyoMatrix Lab because we’re studying the interaction between muscle, which is where the myo comes from, and the extracellular matrix, which is the material outside of the cells that logs important properties to muscle,” Smith said. “Our major goals are to understand the interactions between the muscle and the matrix, particularly the way the matrix contributes to the stiffness of muscle and the way that it impacts the muscle stem cells’ ability to contribute to regeneration.” Smith currently has two undergraduates working in his lab and is still in the process of building up his research team, as his lab was recently established in 2018. Smith described what aspects he looks for in prospective lab researchers. “One thing is reaching out and expressing an interest in doing research that’s contributing to their undergraduate education, but also sort of a specific interest in the work that we’re doing really goes a long way,” Smith said. “So if they show that they’ve looked at something or some reason
This gem of a throwback from the early 2000s follows then-best friends Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie as they trade in their charmed lives to live on a farm for five weeks. Possibly, more or less, your new college life at Davis might replicate such an experience. I promise in the heat you will smell the cows no matter where you are on campus. Pollen will get in your eyes when you are biking. You will experience the grime of houseboats. But who doesn’t love to get a little down and dirty?
Movie: “Lady Bird” For those who cannot recall, the movie occurs during the anxiety-ridden time when main character and Sacramento native Lady Bird is applying for colleges. When she is accepted to UC Davis she declares, and I quote: “I’m not going to a f****** university that’s famous for its f****** agricultural school!” When watching the movie, one of my best friends and gung-ho UC Davis student, hilariously walked out of the theater when that line was said. You will soon come to discover the strength of each department and that we are more than just an agriculture school. And maybe this movie will be a source of solace during this scary transition.
Book: “Animal Farm” by George Orwell For those who cannot recall, the movie occurs during the anxiety-ridden time when main character and Sacramento native Lady Bird is applying for colleges. When she is accepted to UC Davis she declares, and I quote: “I’m not going to a f****** university that’s famous for its f****** agricultural school!” When watching the movie, one of my best friends and gung-ho UC Davis student, hilariously walked out of the theater when that line was said. You will soon come to discover the strength of each department and that we are more than just an agriculture school. And maybe this movie will be a source of solace during this scary transition.
Music: Creedence Clearwater Revival Possibly a little known fact, but this famous 1970s folk rock band is from the Bay Area. Furthermore, their song “Green River” is actually about Putah Creek — the wellloved spring quarter swim spot at the edge of campus. You will be spending most of your sunny days swinging from the rope spring and tanning in the dirt with your closest friends. What better way to set the rustic mood than with some good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll. that makes them stand out in terms of why they’re interested in our lab versus different labs that are on campus also doing really interesting research, that’s something that stands out. And [express] that they’re succeeding in their coursework and able to take on the extra effort that’s required to be in a lab.” Smith said that although email is the most common method of reaching out to a principal investigator (PI) regarding a lab position, faceto-face interactions help to establish a stronger personal connection. “I think, especially if you’re looking to get into lab, [the most important thing] is to make some sort of a personal connection to PIs,” Smith said. “So whether that’s your instructor, going to office hours and not just going and listening, but really engaging in conversation is something that — if they can put a face to the name of the person requesting to get into lab — goes a long way.” Sarah Brashear, a recent UC Davis graduate who works in the MyoMatrix Lab, emailed Smith to start working in his lab. “I was pretty lucky — he was really the first person I emailed to get into a lab,” Brashear said. “I would say just finding something that aligns with your interests [is most important when looking into a lab]. So I think that just reaching out to different people that align with your interests is
always going to be the best fit instead of just trying to find a research position to get a research position.” Smith hopes that researchers in his lab are innovative and interested in practical applications for the things they’re studying. “What I’m hoping they learn is an appreciation for the way that science actually works, so people that are at least interested in exploring a career in biological sciences take it sort of a flavor as what that is practically,” Smith said. “So going through experiments, seeing how sometimes things fail, keep trying and tweaking things until you get things working well — and then you get to explore sort of innovative questions and you have some flexibility to answer things that aren’t really in the textbook and that nobody really knows the answer to. What I’d really like to have is an interest in pursuing new answers to new ideas.” Tucker emphasized the importance of finding an area of interest and explained that it takes time to become acclimated to a lab setting. “Don’t feel pressured to join one as fast as you can,” Tucker said. “Find out what interests you, do some reading up, and then be persistent and show interest. When you do get into a lab, don’t feel like you have to have everything down right away. It took me a while to really get into things and I am still in that process.”
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MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019 | 9
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
JUSTIN HAN / AGGIE
UC Davis Football Recap & Preview Aggies look to make a statement and improve off of historic season
forward, the team began a six-game win streak that saw them score an average of 47 points per game. One of those wins was a thrilling overtime vicLed by head coach and Eddie Robinson tory against the Idaho State Bengals in front of a Award winner Dan Hawkins, the UC Davis sold out Aggie Stadium on Homecoming. After football team took a big leap last season, winning being down by 16 at one point, the Aggies stormed a share of the Big Sky conference and making the back and defeated the Bengals on an overtime FCS playoffs for the first time in school history. touchdown by redshirt freshman Ulonzo Gilliam. After an underwhelming 5-6 season in 2017, Despite a loss in the second to last week of the the Aggies began the 2018 season against San season to Eastern Washington, the Aggies entered Jose State and became the first FCS team of the their final regular season game with a chance to college football season to upset an FBS school. clinch a share of the Big Sky Conference title. In an Junior quarterback and 2017 Big Sky Confer- unusual Causeway Classic game against rival Sacence Newcomer of the Year Jake Maier threw ramento State in Reno, Nev., UC Davis won handfor 446 yards and three touchdowns against the ily by a score of 56-13, clinching its spot in the Spartans, leading the way to a 44-38 away victo- FCS playoffs for the first time in program history. mondaviarts.org ry. This explosive offensive performance by the With a 9-2 overall record, the Aggies earned a Aggies, both through the air and on the ground, six seed in the FCS postseason, which meant that proved to be an accurate glimpse into what the the team’s first ever playoff game would be held entirety of the season would look like, as the of- at Aggie Stadium against the Northern Iowa Panfense’s lightning-fast tempo would made it diffi- thers. cult for opposing defenses to keep up. In front of a capacity crowd of over 10,000 Following a blowout win against the Univer- people and broadcasted live on ESPN3, the Aggies sity of San Diego the next week, the Aggies fell to Pac-12 powerhouse Stanford, which was ranked *** ninth in the nation at the time. From that point This article is continued online. BY O M A R N AVA R R O sports@theaggie.org
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2018 –19 UC DAVIS SPORTS RECAP After a fruitful 2018, Aggie Athletics just beginning to scratch the surface JUSTIN HAN / AGGIE
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BY CARS O N PARO D I sports@theaggie.org Nestled in a small town a stone’s throw away from Sacramento, UC Davis is known more widely for being one of the best public universities in the country than it is for catapulting its student athletes to the professional ranks. We are known more for having the best veterinary school in the nation than we are for capturing conference championships or earning March Madness bids. At UC Davis, we’re known for having the best agricultural program in the country, but brandishing Aggies on our chests now tells a different story — a story deeper than our affinity for bicycles and “picnics.” 2018 marked the 118th year UC Davis has competed in intercollegiate sports, and what a year it has been. In November, the university announced plans in conjunction with UC Davis Health to build a brand new student-athlete performance center. The 38,000 square foot facility is expected to fetch a price tag of more than $40 million. The new center will provide better services for current Aggie athletes as well as serve as a beacon for potential recruits as Davis continues its Division 1 transition. The center represents a growing commitment by UC Davis’ Director of Athletics Kevin Blue to take the Aggies to the next level. Blue saw that commitment pay throughout the last school year, during which time UC Davis enjoyed one of its most successful athletic years. Here are some of the year’s most compelling storylines: Football After taking the reins of the football program in 2016, Head Coach Dan Hawkins has been on a mission to turn the program around. In 2018, the Aggies finished with a 10-3 record and captured their first Big Sky Championship in school history. Junior quarterback Jake Maier threw for 34 touchdowns on his way to winning Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year. The handy recipient of 9 of those touchdowns was 2019 graduate Keelan Doss, who also made First-Team All-Conference. Doss was snubbed in the NFL Draft, but signed with the Oakland Raiders not long after, and is currently fighting for a position on their roster. Women’s Basketball If you’re still not on the women’s basketball train, I promise you it’s not too late to hop on. The women’s
hoopers finished the season 25-7 – 12-1 when playing in front of the Aggie Pack and were catapulted to a Big West conference title for the second time in program history. Behind strong senior leadership, the Aggies earned a berth in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2011. Of their experienced core, UC Davis will particularly miss the splash-sister backcourt of Karley Eaton and Kourtney Eaton, as well as 6-foot-4 jack-of-all-trades Morgan Bertsch. Bertsch will be carrying her Aggie pride with her well beyond the hardwood of The Pavilion. In April, she became the first player in UC Davis history to be drafted to the WNBA — one of only 36 women chosen to compete on basketball’s highest stage. Though Bertsch was waived by the Dallas Wings in May, she plans to play overseas until she can give the WNBA another crack. Softball Despite ending the year 3914, the softball team missed out on its ultimate goal of winning the Big West Conference. Backed by the steady bats of junior outfielder Alyse Rojas and senior outfielder Marisa Given, however, their nucleus is poised to achieve their goal this upcoming season. The Aggies will continue to lean heavily on pitching phenom Brooke Yanez in 2020. Last year, the junior finished league-best in strikeouts (273), ERA (1.03) and wins (25), making her the first Aggie to both be named on the All-American Second-Team and earn Big West Pitcher of the Year. Water Polo The women’s water polo team missed out on a conference title, but showed promise behind now-sophomore standout Noelle Wijnbelt. After scrawling her name into the UC Davis record books with a 20-game scoring streak and 54 total goals, the Big West Freshman of the Year was named to the All-American Third-Team. Men’s water polo dominated the regular season, finishing 18-8 and tied for first in the WWPA. The Aggies ultimately fell just short of the conference championship, losing a heartbreaker to UC San Diego in the title match. Notable Aggies Solie Laughlin Swimmer Solie Laughlin wrapped up a decorated Davis career in 2019, officially becoming the most successful swimmer in school history. Laughlin, a psychology major, was selected to First-Team All-
MPSF in 200m backstroke, 200m and 400m IM, and Second-Team in 200m and 400m Medley Relay. Her dominance in the pool earned her a spot at the 2020 Olympic Trials, which is set to take place next June. Tanner Murray After being named Big West Freshman Field Player of the year in 2018, sophomore shortstop Tanner Murray continued to be a bright spot for the Aggies in 2019. Murray led the baseball team in 10 categories, including batting average (.364), runs (37), hits (71), doubles (16), triples (4) and slugging percentage (.503) on his way to his second consecutive All-Conference Second-Team selection. Christine Danielsson Senior golfer Christine Danielsson completed a stellar season in 2019. The Paris-born standout qualified for the NCAA regionals, and was named Big West Women’s Golf Player of the Year, becoming the second Aggie in many years to capture the award. New Sports UC Davis has continued its commitment toward the advancement of women’s athletics with the the official introduction of Beach Volleyball and Equestrian teams. Led by head coach and former professional Ali McCulloch, beach volleyball got off to a quick start in March before ultimately finishing 8-10. But the new program showed promise, and McCulloch intends to continue recruiting and building the budding program. The addition of the equestrian program was also a unique landmark for the university. The team is “partnering with the School of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences — both regarded as world-leaders in teaching and research in their respective fields,” according to the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. In an interview with the Davis Enterprise, UC Davis Chancellor Gary May recognized and supported the commitment to UC Davis Athletics. “We have a real commitment to, first, the academic mission of the university among the student-athlete population,” May said. “[We also] have a competitive spirit in wanting to be better at representing the university.” Aggie Athletics showed great promise in 2018, but with increasing support from a variety of sources, we are only just scratching the surface.
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said Crystal Knight, the student services coordinator at the LGBTQIA Resource Center. “We [also] have career staff and scholar staff that can help with a number of issues related to LGBTQIA identity and help refer people to additional resources.” The center also puts on community based programing, like Pride Month in May, Queer Leadership Retreat in January and other workshops and events throughout the year. QLR is designed to be a place for students to make friends and become a bigger part of the LGBTQIA community at UC Davis. “[QLR] is one of those moments throughout the year that I consistently refer to for what beautiful, supportive community looks like,” Knight said. The WRRC seeks to “promote gender equity and social justice.” This work focuses on supporting “womxn, transgender, nonbinary and gender expansive individuals.”
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Bill Graham Civic Auditorium: The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium requires the farthest trek on this list, but makes for a perfect excuse to spend some time in San Francisco. Head to the city early to take in the sights before seeing your favorite artist. Upcoming concerts include 21 Savage, Greta Van Fleet and Lizzo. Tickets and information can be found on their website. The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is located at 99 Grove Street. Davis Music Festival: From June 21-23, catch the annual Davis music festival featuring a variety of musical genres from rock to jazz. Some artists performing during the three day musical extravaganza will be blues-rock band The Big Poppies, singer songwriter Doc Tari and the always funky BIG STICKY MESS. The venues vary throughout the festival, with the first day kicking off at Sudwerk Brewing Co. Check the festival’s website for more details. four chapters that you need to read by Monday like fist-pumping with 1,000 of your closest friends. Upcoming concerts include Jimmy Eat World, Parachute and The Struts. The line-up and tickets can be found on their website. Ace of Spades is located at 1417 R Street in Sacramento.
The WRRC traces its roots to student activism in the 1970s, with the center opening in 1972 because of the efforts of the Women’s Liberation UCD student organization. Along with the LGBTQIA Resource Center, the WRRC is a confidential resource for those who have experienced gender-based violence, including sexual harassment or assault. These two centers do not have to make reports to the university when a community member comes in to talk about their experiences around sexual violence. They can help with referrals to other places on campus to get more support. Many other resources are offered by the WRRC, including a library, study space, sexual health supplies, menstrual supplies and a Student Parent Closet. The Student Parent Closet “provides free diapers, wipes, nursing pads, and other supplies for parenting and caregiving students at UC Davis,” and is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon. One can contact the center to set up an alternative time to get things from the closet. Golden 1 Center: The Golden 1 Center, home to the Sacramento Kings and major headliners, is also located in Sacramento. While not usually the most frugal option for live music, nothing can beat a major concert. Upcoming artists include Khalid, The Jonas Brothers, Michael Buble and John Mayer. Tickets and information can be found on their website. The Golden 1 Center is located at 500 David J Stern Walk in Sacramento. Bill Graham Civic Auditorium: The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium requires the farthest trek on this list, but makes for a perfect excuse to spend some time in San Francisco. Head to the city early to take in the sights before seeing your favorite artist. Upcoming concerts include 21 Savage, Greta Van Fleet and Lizzo. Tickets and information can be found on their website. The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is located at 99 Grove Street. Davis Music Festival: From June 21-23, catch the annual Davis music festival featuring a variety of musical genres from rock to jazz. Some artists performing during the three day musical extravaganza will be blues-rock band The Big Poppies, singer songwriter Doc Tari and the always funky BIG STICKY MESS. The venues vary throughout the festival, with the first day kicking off at Sudwerk Brewing Co. Check the festival’s website for more details.
My Sister's House serves Asian and Pacific Islander and other underserved women and children impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking Are you or someone you know in an intimate partner violence, sexual assault, or human trafficking situation? Do you think you might be?
Free services 24/7 support line 916-428-3271 Confidential and multilingual
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www.my-sisters-house.org 24/7 support line: 916-428-3271 This project was supported by Grant No. 2016-UW-AX-0020 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.
While all CRRCs focus on student leadership, the SRRC’s model focuses on student-initiated and student-led community building. The SRRC’s mission is to stand for educational equality. “Our student-run and student-initiated programs created by students for students foster holistic, academic and personal development while raising political and cultural awareness for youth and college students,” its mission statement says. “We educate, engage, and empower students to act as dynamic leaders for their communities so that we can all transform knowledge into action.” One way that this student-run focus is clear is its organizing model. The SRRC is overseen by the 10 person Recruitment & Retention Organizing Committee, comprised mostly of undergraduate students. The SRRC’s work focuses around seven student-led community programs. African Diaspora Cultivating Education, or ACE, “seeks to create a supportive environment that encourages personal development, cultural awareness, and academic success through pro-
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out this time she gained confidence and learned a lot about herself. Coming from a small town to a huge university was beneficial for her. “Having the ability to come to college [...] and grow into myself as an individual has been an incredibly freeing experience,” Costa said. “College taught me empowering things, like how to make lifelong friends and how to know when someone isn’t truly there for you. I’ve learned how to accept people for who they are, and to not be quick to judge. College has taught me that it’s okay to walk away sometimes, and it’s okay to not always please everyone in a room.” Justin Welham, a fourth-year economics major, described college as “spontaneous.” For him, one of the defining moments of the college experience was moving from SoCal to Davis. “I moved to [UC Davis] with nothing but suitcases,” Welham said. “My family was back home and I got to see them on breaks [or the] end of the quarter. I experienced home sickness to the extreme, but it helped me grow because I truly understood and appreciated my friends and family more. [...] Davis became my new home, and now I have friends in both NorCal and So-
gramming, retreats, and conferences that inform and empower students within the African Diaspora.” The American Indian Recruitment and Retention, or AIRR, program “addresses the unique needs of the American Indian, Indigenous, and First Nations identifying student population at UC Davis [...] [seeking] to create a space where current and future students can access resources and support services.” Founded in 1987, BRIDGE serves the Pilipinx community. Its “goal is to empower students to transform this educational system and validate the complexity of the Filipinx culture through our many services and events.” Collective focuses on transfer and non-traditional student empowerment. Its three main programmatic focuses are transfer outreach, retention and campus visits. “Dedicated to empowering and retaining historically underrepresented graduate and professional students,” the Graduate Academic Achievement and Advocacy Program, or GAAAP, Cal.” Throughout his four years, Welham said he learned the importance of office hours and doing homework, even if it’s ungraded. He also suggests joining an intramural sport to network with a variety of people and to stay in shape. “A question I was once asked [was], ‘What does one say to someone you’ve never met?’” Welham said. “I suppose you start with, ‘Hello.’ So go out there and introduce yourself.” But most of all, Welham said students should say yes to almost every opportunity. “Some of my best developing moments have been from saying yes to things I wasn’t sure about,” Welham said. “However, take this with a grain of salt. Be smart and calculated. Have fun nights in college and stay out late, but also make sure you can handle class in the morning.” Costa and Welham agree that students should talk to professors, and Costa also suggests students learn how to actually budget. She, too, urges students not to shy away from opportunities. “You never know what good could come from new experiences. And you can’t hide from them forever,” Costa said. “Get out there as much as you can. Even though you have a midterm this week, you can set aside one hour to check out something new […] You’re here to grow in more ways than academics, and time flies, so have fun while you can. Oh, and believe me, it gets easier.”
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THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
PHOTOS BY JUSTIN HAN AND QUINN SPOONER / AGGIE