ABOUT Julia
University of California- Riverside, Sophomore
I love my college because….
as a longtime Riverside resident, it might seem a bit odd that I decided to pursue my undergraduate in a city I’ve lived in for my entire life. I’ve seen people leave Riverside at the first chance they have, but the issues don’t leave as soon as they do. I want to stay to leave a positive, long-lasting impact on my community, and what better place to learn how to do so then a globally-ranked learning institution such as UC Riverside? I believe UC Riverside is better than the rest because we’re a direct result of community organizing and activism! Although our university was once just a citrus experiment station, members of the community mobilized to demand that a University of California was built here. I go to the same classes that members of my community fought to have decades ago, and it’s a privilege I never want to take for granted.
I really hate…
running late! I always try to be on time (or at least five minutes early) to meetings, classes, or events.
I major in…
Public Policy with big dreams of working within higher education policy. Going to college changed my life, and I want to help create more opportunities for students to not just attend college, but receive the support and services they need to succeed.
My hometown is awesome because…
every winter it’s covered with thousands of Christmas lights, ice skating rinks, community vendors, and school choirs. It’s my favorite way to celebrate the holidays!
At school, you can find me…
involved with our student government as the National Affairs Director, where I work in federal advocacy and tracking national legislation related to higher education, and the Chair of the Student Voice Committee. I am also a writer for The Highlander, our school newspaper, the Communications Director for the UC Student Regent Marcela Ramirez, the Communications Director for UCR Democrats, a founding member of Highlanders for Israel, and a team member for the Global Issues Forum. Additionally, I work on statewide advocacy through the UC Student Association where I serve as the Editor in Chief for State Of, the UC-wide newspaper.
The coolest class I’ve taken so far is…
Politics of the Underdeveloped World. It provided a comprehensive review of the different government structures, systems of oppression and the challenges different countries face today. I had an extremely helpful professor and TA, who reaffirmed my passion for political science!
My favorite late night study snack is…
chicken nuggets for the win.
If I had 24 hours left to live, I would…
spend them with my family and closest friends, and soaking up every moment I had with them to tell them how much I love and appreciate them in my life.
If I could change one thing about the world, it would be…
our view on young people. Somehow, because we’re young, we’ve automatically been equated to being lazy or apathetic, but that’s not the case. Young people are our future, and it’s important to invest in our untapped potential to create collective change.
If I could give my younger self one piece of advice, I would say…
be unapologetically you! Stand firm in the identities you hold and be proud of who you are becoming.
I’m going to be Miss COED 2017 because…
I believe that this is an incredible opportunity to not just represent my university, but gain connections with people across different colleges and universities! I am so proud to attend UC Riverside, and I would love to exemplify that in whatever platform I can.
