UC Davis College of Letters and Science

California Cavern, in Calaveras County east of Stockton, is one of hundreds of caves hidden beneath the Sierra Nevada foothills. By cracking open stalagmites from these caves, Distinguished Professor Isabel Montañez and her students have teased out a timeline of Northern California’s climate history stretching back nearly 20,000 years.

College of Letters and Science Majors Rule the Political Universe The UC Davis Washington Program (UCDC) offers a unique opportunity for undergraduate students with majors of all kinds – from English to animal science – to live, work, and study for an academic quarter in the nation’s capital. No matter their major, students integrate compelling coursework with exceptional work experience from an array of organizations throughout the Washington, D.C., metro area.

Megan Pynes, International Relations and Spanish ’18 Megan Pynes attended the UC Davis Washington Program in Fall 2017.  Intern, The Latin America Working Group

“There was no better place for me than D.C. to put the skills I learned at UC Davis to work.”

With interests in foreign policy and international advocacy, what better place for Megan Pynes to be than “the” major political center: Washington, D.C.?

Michaela Worona, Political Science-Public Service, ’18

Michaela Worona attended the UC Davis Washington Program in Fall 2017. Communication Intern, Governance Studies Department at The Brookings Institution

“Keep an open mind, have lofty goals, and be ready for anything.”

Michaela Worona set high goals before embarking on her journey to Washington, D.C. From making professional connections to gaining political experience, Michaela was ready to personally and professionally grow in an environment different from Sacramento.

Ryan Calbreath, Political Science-Public Service and Economics ’18 Ryan Calbreath attended the UC Davis Washington Program in Fall 2017. Intern, Office of Congressman Raúl Grijalva

Interning at the office of a U.S. congressmember, Ryan Calbreath expected to be nearly invisible among such powerful political figures. What he didn’t expect was the welcoming and supportive environment that embraced him.

Allyson Nicole Camino, Political Science-Public Service and Chinese ’17 Allyson Nicole Camino attended the UC Davis Washington Program in Fall 2017. Political Affairs Program Assistant, US-Asia Institute

“As someone who was often soft-spoken and inactive in the political space, this program instilled in me a deeper understanding of public service.

 

For anyone struggling with the decision to double major, UC Davis undergraduate Harris Niazi has some sage advice. “Don’t ever ask yourself what if,” he said. “Just go for it. Even if it doesn’t pan out, you’re at least stuck with one major that you love.”

 

Amanda Nguyen entered UC Davis as a history major, eager to explore her passion for human rights. She said she was drawn to the idea of interdisciplinary research. “As a history major, I’m not just memorizing facts. When I make an argument about the past, I have to take into account art, socioeconomics, literature, philosophy, politics and more.”

 

 

It’s often a class or internship that drives students into their major of choice. But for Janine Klein, a double major in Anthropology and Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, her interest in conservation science started much earlier. 

 

NyNy (Phuong) Vu was born in Vietnam and came to California with her family when she was six years old. Growing up in an immigrant neighborhood in Sacramento, NyNy saw first-hand the impact of environmental problems on underprivileged communities. “My goal in high school was to grow up to help the immigrant community,” she said.