University of California--Davis | Student Reviews | Best College

Student Profile

Johnathen

Class: Junior
Major: Other Social Science
Gender: M

High School: John W. North
Transfer Student: Y

Big Picture

Davis is a world unto itself, and being here is like being in a microcosm of the world, with a bit less diversity. Students and student groups are cosntantly hosting workshops, teach ins, teach outs, campaigns, lectures, mobilizations, etc. Our students are highly motivated and determined to be heard. Whether it's Students for Justice in Palestine holding a Die In on campus, or MEChA working to organize the annual May 1st International Workers Solidarity Day events, to lectures on what it's like to be a Jew in America today, to addressing the growing self-identifying Mixed ethnicity group, our students are on it. Plus, with the loci of power for the state of California situated 30 minutes away from us, our students always have a chance to address concerns to our state leadership, as well as participate in statewide mobilization efforts.

Academic Life

I love my classes. That may sound like the obvious answer to the question, but the fact is that when a teacher can engage students, provoke critical self examinations, address local and regional issues with precision and delicacy, inspire thought and motivation, and generally be a badass, class is good. I have to be challenged, and Davis does that. Our professors and the other students in our classes and discussions do that. We do have big classes, up to 500 people, but our discussions are small and intimate, providing that balance, and office hours are always available; then when you get in to your degree specific courses and upper divisions, you can have a class with as few as 5 people. I have a friend who is the only person in her class. How's that for one-on-one attention.

Student Body

In all truth, diversity is a problem. To contextualize it, diversity is a problem everywhere, at all institutions of higher education. Our African/African American population is less than 2% of the students (according to recently given statistics). People of color are by and large underrepresented on our campus, but given our activist penchant, we're making differences. 4 of our students joined in a 6 day hunger strike which ended in the creation of our Cross Cultural Center 15 years ago. A 30 year battle against the AGR fraternity's use of a song demeaning women and glorifying violence ended this past year in the creation of 3 full ride scholarships for children of farmworkers. Our Student run Recruitment and Retention Center hosts diversity phone banking to let current Davis students call prospective students of color to answer questions and encourage them to come to UC Davis. It will continue to be a struggle, but this is a struggle that our students are more than willing to fight.