Did you know that the UC Davis College of Letters and Science was founded with just five major departments: Botany, Chemistry, Zoology, English, and History? Letters and Science was established as the second college at UC Davis in 1951, alongside the College of Agriculture.

As of 2025, the College of Letters and Science offers more than 110 majors and minors, covering a wide breadth of subjects. Many STEM-focused Ambassadors of Letters and Science represent the intersection of science and the humanities, a foundation the College was built. By taking classes in multiple disciplines and pursuing minors across fields, these students create well-rounded academic experiences.

Some STEM-studying Ambassadors were initially surprised by the name of the College. Christiana Jeter, a first-year Biological Psychology and Spanish double major, didn’t expect STEM majors to be housed in the same college as humanities students. 

However, through the College of Letters and Science, Christiana connected with classmates from majors such as English, Sociology, and Physics. That classroom community made her courses more manageable, and she appreciated the academic support and resources the College provides.

“Being an L&S student has influenced my training as a scientist by giving me many opportunities to try topics in STEM-related classes to form my idea of potential research that I would like to pursue in the future. There are also so many resources for STEM students: tutoring, co-classes, workshops, quantitative tutoring, research, and much more to support success in and outside the classroom.”

Second-year Ambassador Xavier Gonzalez was similarly surprised when he was accepted into the College of Letters and Science as a Computer Science major. He now sees how the major fits within both Letters and Science and the College of Engineering, especially as the Computer Science major transitioned to Engineering in July 2023. Today, Xavier is pursuing a second major in Cinema and Digital Media to support his dream of becoming a video game developer.

When asked how being a Letters and Science student has influenced her training as a scientist, second-year Ambassador Prati Mehta reflected on the importance of communication and leadership skills, something not always emphasized in STEM fields.

“Being in L&S has opened the door to so many opportunities that have pushed me outside my comfort zone. I’m especially grateful to the Ambassador Program for giving me a platform to grow and actually use those soft skills."

Fourth-year Ambassador Yongqi Xiong, who is graduating with a B.S. in Physics, found an exciting overlap between liberal arts and the hard sciences. She took courses in Music and Classics alongside her physics curriculum and discovered new ways of thinking and problem-solving that now influence her professional goals. 

Second-year Ambassador Kyhara Crespin, a Computer Science and Design double major, appreciates how Letters and Science allows her to fully explore both technical and creative disciplines.

The flexibility of designing her course plan has helped Kyhara forge a path that bridges STEM and the humanities.

“The UC Davis College of Letters and Science gives students the chance to build a more well-rounded academic experience."

Curious about the work of Letters and Science STEM researchers? Explore more in the new Science and Technology column of Letters and Science Magazine.