During his time at UCLA, MIMG student Amitoj Singh found a love for community service and a desire to always take the extra step. “UCLA has encouraged me to want more and never settle for less,” he said.  “Just coming here and developing a big work ethic helps me strive to be the best person…

Ernesto Javier Rojas helped with his aunt’s delivery of a baby boy. Rojas, a fourth-year molecular, cell and developmental biology student, was working as an EMT at the time. Noting his interest in the medical field, his aunt had offered to let him stay in the delivery room and interact with her physicians. Rojas had…

Kimberly Goodwin’s weekly routine at UCLA involved juggling her 3.975 GPA in Applied Mathematics Major and Statistics Minor, tutoring students online and in person, and working long weekend shifts at a job near home. “I really didn’t have time to procrastinate, since I was so busy,” she said. Throughout Goodwin’s four years at UCLA, she…

Neil D’Silva’s advice to incoming Bruins? In the words of Bruce Lee: Be water, my friend. D’Silva had to heed Lee’s call for resilience throughout his time at UCLA on his way toward graduating on the pre-med track with a degree in molecular, cell, and developmental biology. “I will admit that sophomore and junior year,…

Mercedes Cornelius originally wanted to be a lawyer when she grew up. For a school career day, when everyone else dressed up as his or her favorite actor, she donned a long cloak in her attempt to be a judge. However, the now biophysics and applied mathematics student has dedicated her last five years at…

During her first week at UCLA, Regina Brodell walked through the Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Gardens asking herself what she hoped to accomplish in her time in college. Putting down thoughts in her school-themed notebook, she said she was struck by the school’s motto: “Let there be light.” Then and there, she vowed to herself…

Jason Naderi told the four-year-old whose eyes he was examining that he could win the game they were playing if he maintained eye contact with a flower projected inside the examination machine. Naderi told the boy if he focused hard enough, the machine would make cricket noises that meant he was winning. In fact, it…

Gaël Aimé Adrien Mbama recalls the first time he arrived in the United States and was greeted by a large portrait of then-President Barack Obama as he descended the escalator to the arrivals level of the airport. With large and circular metal-framed glasses and a mild French accent, Mbama said he thought President Obama was…

At age 16, Alia Manetta decided to travel to India by herself for the summer. Manetta was interested in a hands-on volunteer opportunity in a hospital, but couldn’t find any opportunities near her home, so she turned to India. Manetta contacted hospital after hospital until she found a charitable hospital Silchar, a city in a…

Bo James Hwang believes rejection is the best protection. Growing up in Hollywood, Hwang wasn’t allowed to join a gang because he was a girl. Now he sees it as a blessing – rejection is the best protection. But there is one thing he wasn’t rejected from: UCLA. Hwang, now a senior gender studies student…

After immigrating to the United States when she was four years old, Catherine Eshaghzadeh’s parents did not have anywhere to leave her and her brother while they worked, so they took them everywhere. The graduating biochemistry student grew up in classrooms, libraries and, eventually, dental clinics as her parents worked toward renewing their licenses. As…

It wasn’t the start Katherine Dumangas expected. Dumangas, like many incoming college freshman, had expectations of immediate success – acing every midterm and final, finding a niche to belong in and following the path she had set for herself coming to Los Angeles. But the transition wasn’t what the San Diego native envisioned. She didn’t…

After long days of studying and attending classes, Jessica Behmanesh still found time to serve her UCLA community. Behmanesh discovered her passion for leadership and perseverance through serving as the president of Alpha Lambda Delta and Phi Eta Sigma Honors Society and the account executive of UCLA Student Media. As an Iranian studies student with…

Some children learn the phrase ‘don’t talk to strangers’ directly from their parents. Some learn it by example. Not all are raised learning that sparking conversations with strangers is a good thing; yet, Vishesh Anand remembers his parents encouraging him to do so at a young age. Anand grew up in India, where he first…

When Jimmy Zheng was deciding between attending UCLA and Berkeley, his mom bartered with him: if he went to Berkeley, she would still do his laundry. Zheng, a fourth-year biology student with a double minor in anthropology and evolutionary medicine, grew up in Northern California, about 30 minutes away from Berkeley’s campus. As tempting as…

Jingqi Yu harbors an insatiable taste for adventure. As a freshman at UCLA, she once flew solo to San Francisco simply to buy a box of South African dark chocolates from a shop she found on Yelp. Once Yu sets her mind on a goal, it’s difficult to sway her. “I’d already visited pretty much…

Minh Pham wakes up at 4 a.m. in his Westminster home, gets ready and heads out the door by 5 a.m. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, the fourth-year student would head to UCLA, where he works to earn his degree in biochemistry. On Mondays and Wednesday, however, he starts his day at Santiago Community College…

Kaitlin Miller recently found herself as a quarterback on a UCLA football field, her adrenaline pumping, defenders rushing towards her vying for a sack. For a few moments, she was an athlete again. Then she took the goggles off. She returned in the physical world, with a video camera in the background and UCLA football…

Every day, Erik Martinez opened up his laptop to see the same quote from Albert Einstein: “I have no special talent, I am only passionately curious.” Martinez, a fourth year International Development Studies major and education minor, said this quote perfectly encapsulates his dedication to community service: a constant desire to see things from new…

Cara Lam has never been afraid of being an outsider, a stranger in a foreign place. In fact, she said she embraces adventure and loves the feelings of limitless she gets whenever she lands somewhere new: “I really like not having anyone know me and me not knowing anyone else, because then I’m really free…

On any given day, senior Elan Kramer’s backpack contains a flute, tap shoes, dress shoes, running shoes, a sack lunch and dinner, sheet music, a water bottle, a phone charger, the complete works of Shakespeare and, occasionally, a yoga mat. Though it is not possible for any UCLA student to involve oneself in every facet…

After getting accepted into UCLA, Peyton Aaronson was so emotional over the phone that her mom thought she’d been in a car accident. “I really was just flabbergasted, I couldn’t believe I got in here,” said Aaronson, now a fourth-year human biology and society student. “I convinced myself it’s a dream that’s just not going…

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” An ambitious honors student and graduating fourth-year, Gun Jun (David) Yoon came to campus with a goal of contributing his open-mindedness and adventurousness to the world. Striving to be none other than himself, this magic-making, bartending, academically-achieving Bruin…

When graduating fourth-year Cara Trombadore was asked what her parting advice would be to incoming freshmen, she responded, “More than anything, it is important to find what you love.” And Trombadore did just that while attending UCLA. A four-year member and Social Director of Bruin Belles—a community service-based, women’s leadership organization—a UCLA Dean’s Honor List…

There was a twinkle in his eyes and a contagious smile on his face as he spoke. Describing his work with Habitat for Humanity and his experience as a resident assistant, geography and sociology major and women’s studies minor Austin Rose smiled and reminisced about some of his most rewarding experiences at UCLA. Dressed sharply…

Public Service. Mentorship. Humanitarianism. For Senior of the Year Madhu Narasimhan, these words were dogma. Throughout his four years on campus, the fourth-year political science student had made these guiding principles part of each and every day. He’d served on student government as a scholarship director, leading his fellow students to scholarship opportunities as a…

Beep. Beep. The electrocardiogram tracing line on the heart monitor rose and fell with every beat of the three-year-old girl’s heart. Beep. Beep. One false surgical misstep would end in severe cognitive deficits in the best situation and death in the worst. Beep. Beep. The frequency of the heart rate monitor sounds increased and increased…

“You may fail, you may cry, you may break, but you will learn, and you will grow, and you will come out of these four years as a victor, ready to show the world what you know,” declared Vanessa Goh, a fourth-year environmental science student. As a freshman, Goh had found herself overwhelmed in the…

Band has always been a big part of Keri Downs’ life, but, as a graduating senior in the Bruin marching band, the experience had become a defining point that inspired and shaped her to become the passionate UCLA student she was at the end of her undergraduate journey. “For eight years, I’ve never spent a…

Kathryn Dethy, a fourth year Economics student, recollected having first arrived on campus, 2800 miles away from her home in Morristown, New Jersey as a nervous freshman. “I didn’t know anyone or anything here but I knew I had to take advantage of the opportunities I had. I had big dreams and very diverse interests. I…

For someone who at one point was dead-set on being a serious businesswoman at USC, fourth-year communications student Maddy Grubman was about as far from the business stereotype as people came. With an infectious laugh, a penchant for telling stories, and an unmatched passion for being a Bruin, Grubman stole the show. After graduating from…

If any graduating senior could truthfully or assuredly say he lived and breathed academic discipline and pushed himself to make the absolute most of his experience at UCLA, it was fourth-year business economics student Christopher Klein. His path to the university may have been different from the one stereotyped as the “college experience,” but his…

Music—from rap to country to the old but golden rock ballads of the 70’s, music had forever been an integral part of campus culture. It blared from the stage at Royce Hall, surged from the portable iHomes of Salsa Club members, and hummed from the earphones of countless student as they shuffled down Bruin Walk…

Torey McMurdo’s story was that of an ambitious girl from a small farm town in Southern California, who wanted to make a difference in the world but didn’t quite know how. By the end of her four years here, her research had been recognized dozens of times by the national government, US and foreign officials…

Conversation came easily to this well-dressed and smiling senior, sitting across the table on Kerckhoff Patio. As he discussed his time at UCLA, his responses held great appreciation for his experiences. “You see people who are in their 50’s and 60’s, alumni who come back, and they’re still so proud to be a Bruin. It’s…

According to her birth certificate, senior Marti Reed was born and raised in Long Beach California. Unofficially, however, Reed grew up on the softball field. Influenced by both her father, who played professional baseball, and her brother, Reed started playing softball at age nine. Reed described, “Going to the ballpark, the local park in our…

UCLA students have long argued about the merits of north and south campus. North campus boasted about humanities, arts, and social sciences. On the other hand, south campus prided itself with engineering, math, and physical and life sciences. Most students fell into one of these categories. Supposedly, there was no grey area. Yet enter Madeline…

Almost every high school student sees college as the opportunity to finally get away from home to experience something different and Erin Ward was no exception. Known for her remarkable innovations with the Pediatric Aids Coalition (PAC) and Dance Marathon, it was surprising to discover that Ward—born and raised in Los Angeles—did not plan to…

One senior proved that personal connections can have a powerful impact upon both a student and a school. In her four years at UCLA, psychology student Jennifer Ellingwood became an integral part of the campus community. Her tireless devotion to community-building made her an invaluable asset both to the university and to the hundreds of…

When freshman year started for Kelly Clark, life was overwhelming. Like many freshmen, she tried to do anything and everything she could find, found herself spread out too thin. From floor government to the Alumni Scholars Club to Campus Crusade for Christ, she was involved in everything that appealed to her, but found herself crumbling…

“If I had to describe myself in one phrase, it would have be ‘ridiculously bubbly,’ stated Michelle Cheng, a fourth year English student. She acknowledged that her self-assessment might have sounded “cliché.” However, she chose to stick with the phrase because it really encompassed her personality in two words. She continued, “I laugh often, I…

True Bruin. Every summer, future students flood in through the gates of UCLA at freshmen orientation, eager to meet new friends, choose their classes, and to learn about the values that make a Bruin.  And while many leave with memories of the new friends they’ve made, the pain of enrollment, Carpe Noctem, or the tour…

Justine Refino has been determined to succeed ever since she was born.  A difficult family situation and several health issues marked her early years, but nothing would deter Refino from the future plans she had made for herself. After graduating from high school and losing her grandfather, who had helped raise her, Refino became totally…

Raised in a family of Chinese immigrants in Glendale, California, fourth-year physiological science student Christine Thang became the first person to attend college, naturally assuming her role as a beacon of success to her younger sibling and her younger cousins.  As a first generation college student, she appreciated all the experiences UCLA offered, taking advantage…

Senior of the Year Isha Varma moved around a great deal in her childhood, living in places such as Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Michigan before her family decided to settle down in Utah. Varma lived here until she was 18, at which point her educational career led her to Westwood, where she began her impressive career…

She loved playing with her stuffed animals, even though some of her friends found it silly and immature.  Her favorite was turtles, and she had two turtle plushies in her dorm.  She has also been keeping a diary since second grade.  In her four years at UCLA, Adrienne Law did more than what most students…

While at UCLA, the myriad opportunities available for Andrea Bentler seemed overwhelming. Better known as Betsy, Bentler spent a year working as a Clinical Care Extender Intern at the Ronald Reagan Medical Center and as a health teacher and clinical volunteer in the Students for Community Outreach, Promotion and Education (SCOPE) program. “I was pre-med…

The path many students take is graduate high school, go to college, graduate after four years, and find a job or go to graduate school. Carolyn Carradine, however, showed that there is not just one path. After leaving UCLA with only one year of undergraduate work under her belt, she came back to finish her…

“Try to do” was a Youtube hit, already nearing the one million viewers mark just ten months after it was uploaded by Aldrin Gamos. While many might have viewed the video solely for entertainment purposes, Gamos saw the interaction between the students and squirrels as a metaphor for UCLA itself- “With the squirrels at UCLA…

Graduating senior biochemisty student Diana Kim represented the epitome of balance in college life. Not only did Kim maintain a 3.79 cumulative GPA in one of the most challenging majors that UCLA had to offer, but she also expanded outside of her academic interests into research, humanitarianism and athletics. Her leadership on the UCLA Student…

According to one standout senior, “it’s never too late.” Sociology student Ramona Saviss entered UCLA as a transfer student from UCSD, thrown onto a new campus with new people. Though some in her position may have believed it too late to get involved in a school that is sometimes criticized for making numbers out of…

After four long years at UCLA, graduation could not come any sooner. It was always a great accomplishment to simply graduate from UCLA, but one senior made sure she was not going to be simply a statistic: Negar Tehrani, a political science, English, and Honors Program student with an impressive 3.618 grade point average. However,…

As a young girl growing up, Angela Becerra always knew she wanted to go to UCLA. A Bruin at heart, she aspired to be a part of the campus community and set an example for her younger sisters. “I just loved the big campus and the opportunities. When I was in community college I would…

It takes a certain determination to be able to optimize four short years at UCLA, but Todd Glass was able to do just that. “I’ve always wanted to go to a school at a big university in the city with great sports,” Glass expressed. While maintaining a 3.912 GPA, Glass was able to double major…

From the first moment Jennifer Hyman stepped onto campus, she wanted to take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities UCLA offered. With a passion for community service and a commitment to excellence, she believed that the purpose of life was to help others. As a UniCamp counselor, campus tour guide and president of the Alumni…

As a neuroscience student who has done anything but limit herself to the classroom, Shadi Lalezari exemplified what it meant to be a Bruin. Her impressive 3.8 GPA in her major and many academic honors were only frosting on the cake. As an undergraduate at UCLA, she expanded on her neuroscience education through involvement in…

Like others at UCLA, Michele Pham was exposed to the Bruin family as a child. “I grew up always wanting to be a Bruin,” she reflected. But unlike many, her excellence in high school allowed her to be admitted in as a Regents Scholar. Though English was not her first language, Pham excelled as an…

Paul Smithedajkul began at UCLA as young and eager student interested in medicine, and left as an accomplished student with a degree in neuroscience and a 3.644 GPA. But Smithedjakul’s contribution and growth as an undergraduate was demonstrated from more than his stellar academics and degree: during his four years, Smithedjakul was a student leader in…

People can be influenced in several ways. For Jason Sorger, listening to his grandfather’s experiences during the Holocaust profoundly affected his approach to life. Those stories have fueled his interest to find practical solutions to end global starvation. Driven by the challenges ahead, he was more than willing to immerse himself in the complex research…