Recent ERC Graduates

How do Fifth/ERC alumni remember their experiences in the College and at UC San Diego? Experiences can be as varied as our students. Anticipating the 20th anniversary of the arrival of the first class of Fifth College, Michelle Gibo, an ERC sophomore honors student, conducted interviews in Spring 2008 with a random sample of college alumni. Here’s what they remember.

We’d like to include YOUR memories and update our information about your careers in our 20th anniversary journal. Send us brief memories keyed to these or other topics, photos taken of you at UC San Diego or now, or comments to the Alumni eMailbox.

What do you remember most about your six quarters of MMW?

• “I remember having almost all six quarters with the girls that became my best college friends; having even more quarters than the Revelle Hum series; the ‘ohhh MMW’ response from people in other colleges; learning a lot that I still think of today.”
  -Katharine Tull ‘01
  Getting a Masters of Public Policy at Brandeis University’s Heller School for Social Policy and Management in Waltham, Massachusetts
• “MMW classes always invoked a sense of comfort because they seemed to grow with us over the first 2 years of university while so many other aspects of our lives were changing. They were classes where I always recognized faces, and always appreciated that the professors were contributing not only to my general education but to the ERC mission as well. MMW kept us connected to our college. It was the most unique class series because it extended beyond the lecture halls to my ERC peers. One thing I will always particularly remember about MMW lectures was Professor Tuzin’s lecture about yams!”
  -Cassandra (Cassie) Pataky, ‘04
  Consultant for communications, fundraising and strategic planning to Prof. Wangari Maathai, 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and her Green Belt Movement
• “Now, when things come up in life, like when somebody talks about the Mayans or the Aztecs, or human development in general or any period in history… I feel like I have a handle on it… But, I definitely remember Onka’s Big Moka.”
  -Lindsay Harris ‘05
  Student at UC Berkeley School of Law

People always say that college friends are going to be your friends for life… do you still keep in contact with your roommates or friends from Fifth College/ERC?

• “My freshman year roommate… I was the best man in his wedding. I was also an orientation leader and that was really fun. I still talk to probably about four to five of the OLs [orientation leaders] that I was OLs with during orientation… The leader singer of Switchfoot was one of my suitemates and I still keep in contact with him, too.”
  -Lee Martin ‘99
  Teaching, training, and supervising at Palomar College and earning a Masters in Homeland Security
• “Yes! I lived in Revelle my freshman year so that may have given me a different perspective, but I am in regular touch with a group of women from ERC that I met in MMW and lived with in Pepper Canyon. We take vacations together and have been in each other’s weddings. I met my husband on Argo 2 in Revelle.”
  -Katharine Tull ‘01
  Getting a Masters of Public Policy at Brandeis University’s Heller School for Social Policy and Management in Waltham, Massachusetts
• “My ERC friends and roommates are still my best friends! We all live all over the country now but I see them at least twice a year and I talk with them at least once a week.”
  -Ilana Lipsett ‘04
  Political Director for a local of the Service Employees International Union in Washington D.C.

Which student organizations did you participate in and how did they influence or shape your college experience?

•  “I was involved in intramural sports and International Center activities. My work at the International Center influenced my decision to pursue a career in university administration. On the personal side, I met my husband playing intramurals!”
  -Megan Freitas ‘95
  Formerly a Senior Academic Counselor at ERC, now caring for twins at home
• “I worked at the Food Co-op and I was active in Hillel/Jewish student union. The co-op gave me work experience and introduced me to people I wouldn’t have met otherwise (i.e. students from different colleges, different years). I liked being part of a more active group- there was (and still is) a lot of raising awareness about food choices and food politics at the co-op and a lot of political activity that went on as well.”
  -Ilana Lipsett ‘04
  Political Director for a local of the Service Employees International Union in Washington D.C.
• “An experience that particularly set the tone for the rest of my life was my participation during freshman year in ERC’s first Spring Breakaway Trip to the Dominican Republic. My experiences there working with fellow ERC students at an orphanage near Santo Domingo taught me the values of giving. Since then I have tried to incorporate international service work into my life and career.”
  -Cassandra (Cassie) Pataky, ‘04
  Consultant for communications, fundraising and strategic planning to Prof. Wangari Maathai, 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and her Green Belt Movement

How did Fifth College/ERC and/or MMW help you with your future career?

• “It helped me develop my analytical skills and my writing ability. There was a significant learning curve, which I’ve not experienced since. It also provided a ground-level knowledge of a wide array of topics/issues that has served me well in my work – not directly, but indirectly. I feel that I can talk about so many topics that I first learned about in MMW.”
  -Margarita (Magui) Rubalcava Shulman ‘92
  Works with large foundations to raise funds for groups working around the country on immigrants’ rights and civic participation
•  “I still think about various cultural, religious, and political themes we were exposed to in MMW and have visited many of the places in the world that I read about as a student.”
  -Stan Currier ‘97
  Regional Director for American Councils for International Education in Almaty, Kazakhstan
• “ERC cultivated my early desires to work in international development and human rights. My four years living on-campus at ERC and I-House were some of the best years of my life. Being surrounded by peers from extremely diverse backgrounds – sometimes from 26 countries! – just encouraged my sense of adventure and intellectual curiosity. I was constantly intrigued by my classes, inspired by my mentors, and challenged by my peers. Graduation was bittersweet, but the road since has been full of surprises and opportunities that have taken me across the globe.”
  -Cassandra (Cassie) Pataky, ‘04
  Consultant for communications, fundraising and strategic planning to Prof. Wangari Maathai, 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and her Green Belt Movement
• “MMW broadened my education immensely at UC San Diego. Eventually, my experiences as an ERC student persuaded me to study abroad in Japan for a year, and to take on Japanese Studies as a second major. The interest complemented my Computer Science major nicely.”
  -Jonathan Wang ‘06
  Software engineer at NVIDIA

What is your favorite memory about your college experience or life as a Fifth College/ERC student?

• “Really wonderful dorm mates my freshman year! We had so much fun! Plus, the year abroad in Beijing was really life changing. I still keep in touch with many people that I met there.”
  -Janie Fang Worster ‘97
  Works at Travel Company Providing Logistics for Stanford Alumni Trips to Asia
• “I-House was definitely really memorable for me. And I really appreciate the fact that ERC as a college was very supportive of you studying abroad and they really encourage it.”
  -Lindsay Harris ‘05
  Student at UC Berkeley School of Law
•  “My favorite memory in college is the free-willed, open-minded sensation of being a student, inspired in every way and passionate for ceasing all opportunities. San Diego creates an environment that is so self-contained and nurturing that I felt I wanted to experience everything – academically, socially, and athletically. And yet it also is conducive to a feeling of wanting to let loose, break out and fly away. I think ERC allowed me to do both those things.”
  -Alicia Sabuncuoglu ‘07
  English teacher in Paris through the Assistantship Program at the U.S. Embassy in Washington D.C.

Any words of wisdom for current ERC students?

• “Enjoy! College is such a unique, enriching, character-building experience that you’re so fortunate to have. Take advantage of everything that interests you, and develop as many friendships and relationships as you can. Once you leave college, there’s no going back to the college student lifestyle and independence.”
  -Megan Freitas ‘95
  Formerly a Senior Academic Counselor at ERC, now caring for twins at home
• “I’d just encourage you all to do as much as you can in your college years both inside and outside of the classroom- study languages, study abroad, don’t be afraid to learn more about people from other socioeconomic or cultural backgrounds different from your own… the contacts you make in college, especially at ERC, will help for a lifetime.”
  -Stan Currier ‘97
  Regional Director for American Councils for International Education in Almaty, Kazakhstan
• “Take the time, explore another country/culture/world and expand your horizons and your personal comfort zone. It will teach you more than you could ever learn in a classroom!”
  -Janie Fang Worster ‘97
  Works at Travel Company Providing Logistics for Stanford Alumni Trips to Asia
•  “Be willing to challenge your assumptions on what the ‘college experience’ is. Don’t be afraid of MMW or language course requirements. The extra time you spend now on studies outside of your immediate interest may end up yielding opportunities that will never come around again in life.”
  -Jonathan Wang ‘06
  Software engineer at NVIDIA