Erica Davis graduated this June with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics, emphasis in Accounting, and Spanish. She is from the surfer town of Encinitas, CA. Growing up, Erica and her twin sister, Ashley, loved tricking their teachers, classmates, boyfriends, and had a true passion for ballet. She has danced with such professional ballet companies as The American Ballet Theatre and The Joffrey Ballet. Erica came to UCSB with hopes to enjoy her classes, meet amazing friends, soak up the sun, and have an amazing college experience – all of which she has done! Erica studied abroad in Fall 2006 in Barcelona, Spain. She had an amazing time studying in Spain and traveling to numerous places in Western Europe, such as: Paris, London, Amsterdam, Andorra, Mallorca, Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Prague, Florence, etc. Although both academics and extracurricular activities keep her busy, Erica loves music, dance of any kind, traveling, food, chocolate, watching Grey’s Anatomy with her roommates, shopping on State Street in downtown Santa Barbara, and meeting wonderful people from all over! Although the four years at UCSB have flown by, she is very excited to be working another summer for Orientation Programs as a one of the two student coordinators, and after, embarking on another chapter in her life by pursuing an Investment Banking career in the real world.

Amy Lee is a senior Political Science major with an emphasis in International Relations. She was born and raised in San Marco, CA. In Amy’s first year at UCSB, she lived in Francisco Torres Residence Halls (now known as Santa Catalina), where she met her amazing roommates that she lives with today. In addition to her fabulous job as a 2008 Orientation Coordinator, Amy answers your burning questions about your student account at the UCSB BARC office, interns for the UCSB Men’s Soccer team, and brings students and staff together as the Flacks Intern in Associated Students. During Amy’s freshman year, she joined the UCSB club field hockey team and is having an incredible time working out with her awesome teammates who recently won the state championships this past November. In the little time Amy has to herself, she loves to go shopping for shoes, running along the beautiful beaches of Santa Barbara, hiking with her friends, reading Newsweek to catch up on the latest political news, and watching movies. After UCSB, Amy hopes enter into the Teach for America program teaching in the inner city schools of Los Angeles and eventually return to San Diego to teach high school. For now, Amy is soaking up college life, hanging out with her best friends, learning new things everyday, and enjoying her time as a UCSB student! Amy is ecstatic to work with this new amazing Orientation staff to welcome new students to their UCSB home!

Javier Acosta is a recent graduate with a degree in Global Studies with an emphasis in Culture and Ideology and Latin America. He came to UCSB from Inglewood, CA and loved every minute of it. While at UCSB, Javier became involved with the campus community by joining a fraternity. Javier also played guitar for UCSB’s Mariachi Integral. He also was an avid soccer player and participated in intramural sports. Over his years here, he had all kinds of jobs on campus ranging from working at Wendy’s to Romaine’s to even grounds keeping. In his last year Javier worked for EOP as a Frosh Peer Advisor in the summer for FSSP and throughout is whole 4th year. Eventually he culminated his UCSB experience by working for Orientation Staff. What he considers his greatest accomplishment at UCSB is that he went to study aboard for a semester during his 3rd year in Chile. It was the experience of a life time for him and he got to travel throughout South America for 6 months.

Maddy Armstrong is a fourth year Communications major with an Art History minor. She is from Rohnert Park, CA a small town in Sonoma County. She couldn’t wait to come to UCSB after high school and has enjoyed every experience since becoming a student here. Maddy lived in Santa Cruz Residence Hall in her freshman year and San Rafael Residence Hall in her sophomore year, and she loved spending two consecutive years on campus. She worked as a desk attendant in San Rafael during her second year as well as participating in Hall Council. Maddy spent the first part of her third year studying abroad at the American University of Paris, and thinks it is the best decision she has made thus far at UCSB. She loves Parisian culture, language, and architecture, and believes the stay truly enriched her college experience. Since returning to UCSB, she has rediscovered how amazing the campus is and how much it has to offer. Now living in Isla Vista, she plans on continuing to take yoga classes and running along the beach as she looks forward to her senior year. Maddy is thrilled to work with all the fresh faces during Orientation this summer!

Jason Awe is a fourth year majoring in Business Economics with an emphasis in Accounting, and a minor in History. He hails from the lovely San Jose, California in the Bay Area. Jason began his experience as a Gaucho in the fall of 2005 in the San Nicolas Residence Hall after graduating from high school. He thoroughly enjoyed his first year experience at UCSB. He currently resides in the neighboring town of Isla Vista and looks forward to living in an ocean-front property for his fourth year. During his time at Santa Barbara, he has become involved with the Greek system, and before joining the Orientation Staff he worked at the De La Guerra Dining Commons on campus. Between working and academic life, Jason loves to spend time outdoors, whether it be going for a run or playing football at the beach. During breaks, he loves to spend his time with family and friends, and will never pass up an opportunity to go snowboarding, enjoy a long hike, or just listen to music. After Jason graduates, he hopes to go to law school become an acting attorney in California. He looks forward to his upcoming and final year as a Gaucho and cannot wait to meet all the new students!

Marja Azucena is a third year majoring in Psychology. She is an Air Force brat and spent most of her childhood both in the Philippines and Japan. She graduated from a high school in Las Vegas and was actively involved as a tutor and community volunteer. During her first year, she lived in the Santa Catalina residence hall where she met some of her closest friends. She became a member of the Model United Nations club at UCSB where she now serves as an officer and has attended conferences held in Boston and Puebla, Mexico with other students from all over the world. She is a part of the Greek community and is looking forward to living in her sorority house next year. In her free time, she likes to go shopping downtown with her friends and spend beautiful, sunny days at the beach. She has yet to figure out what she wants to do after she graduates, but her ideal job would be to work for the Travel channel as a television show host! She absolutely loves to eat and has made it her goal to eat at every single restaurant in Isla Vista before the end of the summer. She is excited to spend the summer working with new students and hopes to make their initial UCSB experience one to remember!

Chip Badley is a second year majoring in English with a minor in Black Studies. Originally from Elk Grove, California, he’s loving the UCSB experience. During his first year, he rocked the Santa Rosa residence hall (Environmental Hall pride!) and is now happy to be a resident of beautiful beachside town of Isla Vista. You can spot him on campus working with various clubs and councils such as St. Mike’s Progressive Christian Students or DSP (Disabled Students Program). When he is not working or doing research, he is most likely at one of the many wonderful beaches nearby or hiking in the Santa Ynez mountains. He can’t imagine what life would be like were it not for the awesome opportunities he has had at UC Santa Barbara, and cannot wait to spend the next few years of his life here!

Scott Ball is a second year Philosophy major from the quaint little town of Auburn, California located right between Sacramento and North Lake Tahoe. He is a Freshman Summer Start Program alumnus and a member of the College of Letters and Science Honors Program. Hailing from the landlocked north, he loves living just a stone’s throw away from the Pacific Ocean. He feels UCSB is a unique institution, because it provides both brilliant academics in a research university setting combined with a very relaxed and welcoming social environment. Scott generally likes to spend his leisure time outdoors doing anything active. He loves to play intramural sports with his friends at UCSB. During the Freshman Summer Start Program he got an excellent introduction to all of the opportunities offered here. He enjoys having a large social network and is excited to work with new students at Orientation this summer.

Jackie Bruno is a fourth year Communication major with a minor in Sports Management. Originally born in Woodland Hills, CA she spent most of her adolescent years in the Northern California town of Rohnert Park. After high school she was not admitted to her first choice school and decided not to settle. From there, she decided to attend Santa Barbara City College, living in Tropicana Gardens her freshmen year. Two years later she had fallen in love with everything Santa Barbara. She applied and was accepted to UCSB, and transferred in the fall of 2007. She attributes much of her successes here to the transfer course ED 197 that she took her first quarter on campus. Although she admits the transition from City College to UCSB wasn’t easy, she took opportunities to get involved as a way to make her new campus home. She is involved with the Communication Association, the Leadership Certificate Program and is a proud Orientation Staff Member. In her free time she enjoys the company of her eight other roommates and is always dancing and listening to music. Jackie cannot believe how fast college has gone by and cannot help but enjoy each and every day she has spent on such an amazing campus. After graduation, Jackie hopes to pursue a career within the sports industry, ideally as an Event Planner for ESPN.

Michael Citron is a third year Political Science and Business Economics double major with a minor in Music. He is originally from Orinda, California and graduated from Miramonte High School in 2006. In his first year at UCSB, Michael participated in the Freshman Summer Start Program and lived in San Nicolas Residence Hall, where he served on the hall council. He has swum competitively for the last 11 years and coached children of all ages. Michael plays intramural football on the infamous Bay Area Ballers team and loves watching Gaucho sports as well. As a member of the Santa Barbara Hillel, Michael is very involved in Israel activism on campus and participates in organizations such as American Students for Israel and the Israel Alliance at UCSB. His passions include playing piano and guitar, appreciating Cuban culture, and nurturing his die-hard obsession with Cal football. In addition to working as an O-Staffer, Michael is a Gaucho Tour Guide and a Research Assistant for the Political Science Department. He cannot wait to get to know the incoming students and to work with them this summer!

Aimee Edmondo graduated from UCSB in June 2008 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Cell and Developmental Biology. She grew up in Cloverdale, a small town in Northern California, where she spent her days volunteering with the Interact Club, working as an assistant to a property management company, painting murals for her high school’s campus beautification program, and playing summer league softball. In her past four years at UCSB Aimee has been an active participant in the Santa Barbara County chapter of the American Red Cross. She even traveled to New Orleans with fellow UCSB students to provide relief efforts following hurricane Katrina. She spent her freshman summer doing ecological volunteer work in Victoria, Australia. When she is not in the lab or studying Aimee can often be found wandering the bluffs of West Campus or having a good laugh with friends. Aimee also participated in the UC Education Abroad Program, where she spent a semester abroad at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, which she considers one of her most influential college experiences. Aimee hopes to apply to graduate school for genetic counseling following an internship as a research assistant. As an Orientation Staff member she cannot wait to advise incoming students about all of the wonderful opportunities here at UCSB!

Charlie Fitzgerald is a second-year Pre-Biology major from Roseville, CA. He enjoys surfing, skim-boarding, hiking, long walks on the beach, road trips, music, hanging with friends and playing basketball and volleyball. Some of his favorite places to eat in Isla Vista are Freebirds (Quesanachoritos are his faveorite), Mr. Pickles Sandwich Shop, and Naan Stop. He was involved in Hall Council his freshmen year and has completely loved every minute of his UCSB experience (when it hasn’t involved writing papers). After college he plans on possibly going to grad school and then pursuing a career in Marine Biology or maybe just becoming a beach bum—he will see where life takes him. He really wants to travel and is planning on studying abroad in Australia for a semester his junior year. But above all he is very excited to be helping out the incoming freshmen and wants all of them to have as great of an experience here at UCSB as he has had!

Stefan Geyer is a second year majoring in Political Science with an Emphasis in International Relations and is looking at possibly double-majoring in Spanish, and if there’s still time after that, maybe getting a Music minor under his belt. Originally from Walnut Creek, California in the East Bay Area, Stefan loves the change of scenery and pace here in Santa Barbara and could not imagine going to school anywhere else. In high school, Stefan was very active in the Theater and Vocal Music programs and also served on the senior class executive board. Keeping up his involvement here at UCSB, Stefan served as a Hall Representative to Anacapa’s Hall Council and helps out with the Associated Students Program Board Street Team. He absolutely loves UCSB and is excited to help out new students in starting their time here at this amazing school. Now that spring has come, Stefan can not get enough of the beautiful beaches and opportunities to have fun around the Santa Barbara area, and cannot wait for the excitement of meeting all sorts of new people and creating great new memories this summer!

Katie Hanzlik is a third year double-major in Global Studies and French. She was born in San Francisco, California, but grew up in the state’s capital of Sacramento. During high school, Katie was convinced of a future in Communication, and became captain of the Speech and Debate team and Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper, among other things. However, during her first year at UCSB, Katie discovered a passion for Global Studies, and continued her study of French from high school. The two disciplines, along with UCSB’s amazing Education Abroad Program, have combined to give her the unique opportunity to study in France for the 2008-09 academic year, which she is very excited about! Apart from school, Katie has been involved with her residence hall’s councils for the past two years. She loves photography and you will hardly ever find her without a camera, which comes in handy on this beautiful beachside campus! She will definitely miss the ocean, sunny weather, and maybe even the dining commons food when she is in France next year, but feels lucky to have had such an amazing opportunity presented to her.

Carrie Herbert is a third year majoring in Biochemistry with aspirations of attending medical school. She is from the town of Carlsbad in North County San Diego, where she attended La Costa Canyon High School. As a first year, Carrie lived in the Santa Cruz Residence Hall and served as her floor’s co-chair in the Hall Council. She was also a member of Ski & Snowboard Club and volunteered for the Chemistry Outreach Program. Currently, Carrie is an active member of the Isla Vista Kiteboarding Club. When not studying in the library, Carrie likes to take indoor cycling classes at the Rec Cen or go surfing at one of the multiple breaks close to campus. One of Carrie’s favorite things about UCSB is its beautiful location as well as how friendly all of the students and faculty are. This fall, Carrie will be heading to Spain to study at the University of Cordoba for a quarter through the Education Abroad Program on campus. She looks forward to enjoying her junior year and is excited to be able to share how great UCSB is with all the incoming students and their families!

Yasmine Holmes is a second year majoring in Communication with a potential double major in Political Science. She was raised in Long Beach, CA and moved to Fontana, CA, a small suburb about an hour outside of LA, where she spent her high school years involved in the various leadership roles her campus had to offer. When Yasmine is not studying or in class, you can find her hanging out with her friends, many of who live in the Santa Rosa Residence Hall on the African-American Scholars Floor with her. She loves UCSB for its beautiful campus, people, and surrounding environments and all of the resources it has to offer. She is particularly excited to further her academic career as a Gaucho. She looks forward to sharing her experiences with all of the incoming students attending Orientation this summer!

Shuka Jahromifar is a second year UCSB student with an undeclared major. She grew up in the Middle Eastern country of Iran and moved to San Jose, California four years ago. In High school, Shuka served on many clubs and organizations and was a member of the varsity soccer team all four years. She hopes to continue her community involvement at UCSB and learn about various opportunities in her community. Shuka also enjoys outdoor activities and has been a member of the UCSB Adventure Club since her arrival at UCSB. She loves the UCSB campus and the balance of social and academic life available to students. She also loves traveling and has a passion for learning new languages. She plans to study abroad in France and learn about different cultures. Shuka loves politics and social sciences and is on the path to discovering her major. She enjoys living on campus in the Santa Cruz residence hall located near the beach and is looking forward to her stay at UCSB for the next three years!

Rob Mankin is a third year double-major in Communication and Film and Media Studies. He is from that little speck on the map they like to call Manteca, California where he was raised by his awesome family. Rob began his new life at UCSB by living on the Performing and Creative Arts Floor in San Miguel Hall where he had the time of his life. Living a very active lifestyle, he loves going to the gym, skim boarding, playing intramural sports like soccer and volleyball. As a competitive gymnast for nearly a decade, Rob now coaches various youth gymnastics teams at Spiral Gymnastics on campus. As a film major he is definitely a big movie buff and therefore loves to sit down and catch a good flick. He also loves going on adventures with friends such as photo shoots, theme parks, or just plain traveling. Rob is very excited for the upcoming year and looks forward to meeting many new people through Orientation.

Chloe McCarthy is a second year majoring in Psychology. She grew up in Van Nuys, California in the city of Los Angeles. All throughout her life Chloe has loved volunteering and finds a joy in helping others. She is currently in the progress of translating her passion into her career by taking classes that further her goal of becoming a child psychologist. When Chloe is not working or studying she loves to relax either by hanging out with her friends on the nearby beach or going to downtown Santa Barbara for a little shopping. Coming to UCSB has already been such a rewarding experience for her and Chloe feels as if there is no better place to get an amazing education. She is looking forward to three more wonderful years and all the people and experiences that she will encounter in the future.

Mallory Mizera is a fourth year majoring in Communication, with a minor in Art History. She is originally from the suburbs of Chicago, but spent most of her childhood in the warm and sunny town of Chino Hills in southern California. During her first year at UCSB, Mallory was involved with her hall council, acting as hall representative at Santa Cruz Residence Hall and living with an ocean view—probably the only time that will ever happen in her life. She also worked for the front desk at San Rafael Residence Hall throughout her second year. During her third year, Mallory studied abroad in Paris, France through the Education Abroad Program. She admits it to be the best time in her college life, traveling all over Europe as well take classes in her major that were not offered at UCSB. This trip also sparked her interest to minor in Art History. When she is not studying and reading, Mallory likes to run through the beautiful UCSB campus, spend all her money in downtown Santa Barbara, and eat at her favorite yogurt place in Isla Vista, Berrilicious! After graduation, she is interested in the advertising and mass media aspect of her Communication major and hopes to obtain a job, living in some sort of city life. For now, Mallory is excited for her position as Orientation Staff member and being able to meet all the new incoming students and their families!

Tim Molina is a third year majoring in Sociology with an emphasis in social movements and radical change. He was born and raised in the city of Torrance just south of Los Angeles. Tim transferred to UCSB in the winter of 2008 from El Camino Community College. As a recent transfer student, Tim, like many other transfer students, has had a unique first year experience at UCSB. Moving into Isla Vista and enrolling into UCSB in the middle of the year, Tim had to “hit the ground running.” Within the first few weeks of being a Gaucho, Tim worked with the KCSB (UCSB’s radio station) promotions team, the Transfer Student Association, played intramural soccer, and set his eyes on the Orientation Program. What has helped him adjust so quickly is how beautiful the campus, surroundings, and the people are here and around Santa Barbara. Prior to arriving at UCSB, Tim was ecstatic about the amount of opportunity there was available at the University and plans to take full advantage of it. Tim has always had a passion for helping out other people, and is excited to work with the incoming students and open them up to the vast amount of opportunity and fun they will be having while attending UCSB.

Samantha Montaño just graduated in June 2008 with a degree in Sociology and an Education minor in applied psychology. She grew up in San Jose, California and transferred to UCSB in the fall of 2006 after attending West Valley Community College in Saratoga, California. The transition to UCSB was difficult but it challenged her to find new ways to get connected. The Sociology Association was a great place for her to meet other sociology majors and make valuable networking contacts as well as making friends. She enjoyed the Transfer Success course she took in the fall of 2006 so much that she volunteered to co-lead the class the following fall and has been able to participate as a volunteer panelist in the Visitor’s Center. Samantha plans to move back home after spending the summer with her fellow Orientation staffers and take a year to explore her options. She hopes to one day work in student affairs, either as a four year university educational counselor or working with something similar to the Orientation Program. She is sad to leave this amazing place she got to call home but is excited for what the future holds.

Ally Olney is a third year majoring in both Psychology and Communication as well as studying Italian. She is from a small town in the San Francisco Bay Area called Brentwood. While at UCSB, Ally has been involved in many campus activities. As a former resident of Francisco Torres (now known as Santa Catalina) she was involved on her Floor Council as Athletic Chair, prompting her fellow residents to attend UCSB sporting games and to enjoy intramural sports. In her continuing love for sports, Ally was part of the Recreational Sports Sales and Marketing Team during her first year at UCSB. Ally has also recently become involved with Associated Students and is very happy to continue her four years of student leadership here at UCSB. Ally enjoys anything that has to do with the water and has loved swimming and diving since she was two years old. Ally looks forward to the years to come here at UCSB and is excited about the new experiences that come with being a part of Orientation Staff!

Anne Reed is a third year majoring in both Psychology and Art History. She comes from a small suburb near Los Angeles, California called La Cañada. During her first year at UCSB, Anne was fortunate to live on campus in the Santa Rosa Residence Hall, which she loved for its close proximity to lecture halls and dining commons. Anne has taken advantage of many of the countless activities and opportunities that UCSB has to offer since her arrival as a freshman. Some of her favorite activities consist of intramural tennis, soccer, and volleyball, and of course being an Orientation Staff member. Also a member of a sorority on campus, she has sought to give back to the Santa Barbara community that she loves so much through community service opportunities, including Isla Vista beach and street clean ups and working with the children from local elementary schools. Her enthusiasm for the outdoors and being around fun and interesting people make being on Orientation Staff the perfect job for her. She is confident that she will help new students find the great opportunities available to them academically and otherwise at UCSB. In the future, Anne plans to attend graduate school for psychology and hopes to continue to work in stimulating, fun environments such as the one that UCSB and Orientation programs promote.

Christina Regalado is a fourth year Political Science major with a minor in Spanish. She has thoroughly enjoyed her years as a Gaucho and is a proud member of the UCSB Greek Community. After growing up in a small town in Northern California, Christina thrived in the many exciting opportunities and in the diverse campus UCSB has to offer. She explored her interest in politics through an internship on Capitol Hill that she received through the UCDC program. In addition, Christina has helped maintain good relations between the Greek System and the surrounding Isla Vista/Goleta community by co-chairing the Greek Conduct Board. To top off an exciting time at UCSB, Christina has taken residence at a beautiful beachside house on Del Playa Drive with eleven of her friends for her fourth year. She enjoys playing tennis and running along the beach, as well as taking road trips back to Northern California to visit her family. After graduation, Christina will embark on a journey in which she hopes to achieve her lifetime goal: to visit all 50 states. She also is looking forward to a backpacking trip through Europe and then returning home to work for Teach for America to pursue her passion of teaching. Christina can remember being a young, vibrant freshman in Anacapa Residence Hall and cannot believe how fast her time here at UCSB has gone by, but she will carry her memories as a Gaucho with her for the rest of her life.

Mallarie Stevens is a senior majoring in Sociology and double-minoring in Education, and Exercise and Sports Studies with an emphasis in personal training. She is from San Martin, California, a small town just a few miles south of San Jose. During her first year at UCSB, Mallarie enjoyed beautiful ocean views from her room on the sixth floor of Francisco Torres (now Santa Catalina), but she currently calls Uptown Santa Barbara home, where she shares an apartment with her partner Nathan and their cat Snowie. Over the course of her four years at UCSB, Mallarie has gotten to know many Santa Barbara natives while serving breakfast and lunch at a local restaurant known as Int’l Café. She also loves teaching fellow students about healthy eating and living as one of Student Health’s peer health interns. In her free time, Mallarie enjoys going on long runs on the beach and around the lagoon, playing tennis, reading for pleasure, and discovering new, healthy vegetarian recipes! After spending an amazing summer working as an Orientation Staff Member, Mallarie plans to finish up her last quarter of classes at UCSB, become a personal trainer, and earn a master’s degree in journalism.

Cate Stewart is a third year Art History major with an Emphasis in Architecture and the Environment. She comes to UCSB from the beautiful San Anselmo, California, a short drive across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. In high school she kept busy in student leadership and the theater arts program. She has been actively involved in the Greek System, serving as Vice President Panhellenic for her chapter at UCSB. She had the time of her life studying abroad in foggy London, England her first semester of her third year, and enjoyed traveling throughout Europe in her time across the pond. An avid Food Network fan, she loves to cook… especially dessert! She loves to run and take advantage of the beautiful trails all around Isla Vista and Santa Barbara on a daily basis. She is excited to spend the summer with the incoming freshmen class and future for the school she truly loves. UCSB has brought her an excellent education, opportunities for exploration, amazing adventures, endless laughter and friends she will cherish forever, and Cate can’t wait for you to experience the same. Welcome to UCSB class of 2012!

Casey Wilson is a senior who will be graduating this June with a degree in Biological Psychology. At UCSB, Casey found a passion for the sciences, and she has decided to pair that with her genuine interest in people and pursue further with the study of medicine. Some of Casey’s favorite classes at UCSB have been physics and statistics. For the past two years Casey has enjoyed her involvement with Student Health Services as an intern with health education for Healthy Eating and Living, and currently works as the patient advocate—if you have any questions about SHS, feel free to ask her! When not on campus, you might also find her are at the top of inspiration point (a favorite hiking spot of hers), enjoying tea and a relaxing study session at Goleta Coffee Company, or shopping downtown. Casey also enjoys cartooning, and someday hopes to have her own card company.