By Rahul Madhusudanan
UC Santa Barbara Class of 2014
The Bren School, Master of Environmental Science and Management

While pursuing a career in the semiconductor industry, Rahul Madhusudanan, who had a master's degree in electrical engineering, took what was to be a one-year sabbatical in order to travel, volunteer, and broaden his horizons. His varied activities during that time included teaching disabled Iraq war veterans to ski at Whistler, Canada, and working with...

By Michelle Mak
UC Santa Barbara Class of 2014
Communication Major, Chinese Minor

It’s amazing how significantly the people you meet can change your life. Because of my time at UCSB, I have had the privilege of meeting some of the best people I’ve ever known. On my very first night in the Santa Cruz dorms, I hung out with some of the most outrageous girls, whose lives and stories were so different than mine. Those hallmates have...

By Paula Richter
UC Santa Barbara Class of 2014
The Bren School, Master of Environmental Science and Management

Producing voluminous legal documents during her previous legal career, Paula Richter (MESM 2014) often lamented that she would have to volunteer for the Nature Conservancy to compensate for all the trees she had killed. That might have been the first step.

Another was reading the book ...

By Abbie Broeder
UC Santa Barbara Class of 2014
Art Major

My four years here at UCSB have been nothing short of some of the best four years of my life. I came from the Bay Area as an Art major and met some of the coolest, most down-to-earth and talented people I could ever imagine—faculty included. I decided to work in the Carrillo Dining Commons on-campus and got to move in a few days early as a result. This decision shaped my social life and impacted my happiness in an extraordinary manner from the start. Having met dozens of people at work my first few weeks,...

By Jenny Bakos
UC Santa Barbara Class of 2014
History & Cultural Anthropology Major

This June, I will be graduating with a double-major in history and cultural anthropology from UCSB (olé olé!). I cannot stress how much I loved my time at UCSB. In college, I participated in a sailboat pirate battle royale with Excursion Club, learned how to ballroom dance, participated in archaeology excavations on the Channel Islands and in...

By Jorcyelin Ani
UC Santa Barbara Class of 2014
Sociology Major, Education & Applied Psychology Minor

With the end of my journey here at UCSB fast approaching, it has been bittersweet to reflect on everything that I have experienced since being here. These past 4 years have taught me a lot about myself, who I want to be, and who I can actually be. With my Bachelor’s Degree in such close reach, something that I never truly imagined receiving, I have a new reality and...

By Torrey Trust
UC Santa Barbara Class of 2014
Graduate Division, Ph.D. in Education

I still remember the capstone moment of my graduate program like it was yesterday (OK, it was only a few months ago…): I finished my dissertation defense and looked across the table to my faculty advisor, who extended his hand and said, “Congratulations, Dr. Trust.” It felt as though the weight of the world dropped off my shoulders.

Before I...

By Jasmin Llamas  
UC Santa Barbara Class of 2014  
The Gevirtz Graduate School of Education - Ph.D. in Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology

Reflecting back on my time at UCSB is bittersweet. When I went hunting for Ph.D. programs, I knew UCSB would be my new home. The academic and professional experiences I had and the lifelong friends I made only reaffirm I made the right choice. Besides, who could argue against graduate school near the ocean...