I came into UC Davis with a fixed mind of pursuing a career in environmental science. I dislike walking through my community and seeing empty areas of soil that could be more aesthetic and beneficial for the people. I dislike visiting other communities; comparing them to Richmond and asking myself, “Why can’t Richmond be like this?” always displeased me because I could never find an answer. I envision my community a place where many people in the future refer to Richmond as an environmental friendly community rather than the violence-related community that the media has portrayed of it. I firmly believed that the only way to make Richmond a more eco friendly community was to attend a four-year university as an environmental science major. Thus, I decided to attend UC Davis as an Environmental Science and Management major in seek of finding an answer to this dilemma. One year attending UC Davis, however, has changed the way I visualize my future goal of making Richmond a more sustainable community.
Winter quarter was a period overwhelming with influential opportunities towards learning more about myself and my interests. I enrolled in an animal science class to fulfill one of my general education requirements. This course was, by far, the most challenging course I’ve enrolled in, yet it interest me the most. I loved learning about the history of companion animals and the benefits of owning one. Through the class I made a few friendships and we conversed about our future goals. I listened to their dreams of pursuing careers related to working with animals: veterinarian, animal breeder, animal nutritionist, etc. I envied them; the careers my animal science friends seek interest me. However, I want to make a positive contribution towards the sustainability of my community, so switching majors was not a choice at the moment. During a conversation with one of my friends, I learned that UC Davis has an environmental club. I decided to join the environmental club and switch majors to seek a career that fascinates me and still make a positive contribution to Richmond in the future–the best of both worlds. I thank the Scully foundation because without their support, I would not have attended UC Davis and discover my passion for animals.
