About the Rausser College of Natural Resources Undergraduate Peer Advising (PAL) Program
The Peer Advising Leadership (PAL) Program of Rausser College strives to offer personal insights and experiences to current & prospective RCNR students. Our PALs are trained in understanding & communicating our Major requirements, College policies, research opportunities, and more! The goal of these students is to offer peer advising to everyone - ranging from a first-semester Berkeley freshman to a last-semester senior!
PALs also engage with prospective, newly-admitted, and current students at yield events, enrichment programs, Rausser College tours, Cal Day, Commencement, and more! Their work is integral to the success of their fellow undergraduates and to the formation of our friendly Rausser College community.
If you wish to contact a peer advisor send them an email or connect via Zoom.
Check out the FALL 2021 OFFICE HOURS for the Peer Advisors working our Virtual Front Desk.
Not sure if your question can be answered by a PAL? Check out this chart!
Want to find out more about certain courses? Click here for a list of classes the PALs have taken!
You can also follow us on Rausser College of Natural Resources Advising Instagram and Facebook pages.
If you would like to hear more about the Peer Advising program, you can email PALs at pal@berkeley.edu, visit our Virtual Front Desk Zoom Room, or talk to your academic advisor for more information!
2021-2022 PALs
(click name or photo for student bio)
Hey Bears! I am a fourth year from San Diego, California studying Molecular Environmental Biology and Ecosystem Management & Forestry. My interests revolve around collaboration with diverse communities for biodiversity conservation and wildlife management. I am also pursuing the Geospatial Information Science and Technology minor to use mapping and remote sensing as a tool for conservation. As an outdoor enthusiast, I love going on spontaneous hiking, climbing, backpacking, and camping trips. On campus, I have been involved in the Students of Color Environmental Collective, a capella, work-study, ResLife, and various SPUR projects. I also started the Wildlife Society at Berkeley chapter in Fall 2020 that has continued to grow and connect wildlife enthusiasts at Cal. Come chat with me anytime about my experiences at Berkeley, summer internships, or just to connect!
Hi! My name is Esha Aneja, and I’m a senior majoring in Nutritional Science Physiology & Metabolism and minoring in Disability Studies. I went to high school in the Bay Area, but I’ve lived all over the country from Atlanta to Baltimore to SoCal. I definitely understand how hard adjusting to a new place can be, so I would love to help anyone with that! In my free time, I love horseback riding and exploring cool new places/restaurants. My field of interest is development disorders, so I have been pursuing research/publications in this area. Additionally, I am on the pre-med track so would be happy to share my experiences with anyone who might be interested in knowing more about it! Please feel free to drop by just to chat or if you want advice on anything at all :)
Hello :^) My name is Ada and I'm currently a fourth year student on the pre-medical track from the Bay Area. I’m intrigued by life at various scales which is what led me to double major in Microbial Biology and Molecular Environmental Biology. I enjoy working with students and have diverse experiences collaborating with prospective and current UC Berkeley students as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader and science tutor. In my free time, I enjoy reading, thrifting, and learning new languages. I also love traveling as it allows me to experience different cultures, and I've been across North America, Europe, and Asia with my family. Feel free to stop by my office hours and I hope to see you soon!
Hi all! I am a rising fourth year studying Society and Environment and Political Economy. I am from Plano, TX, but have found the bay and the walkable community around campus to be a lot more like home - I have seen the marina and the Big C too many times to count! My academic interests revolve around sustainable urban planning and economic policy, specifically in how equitable growth can be the focus for future development. On campus, I work with the Student Advocate's Office as well as Berkeley Model United Nations, and would be happy to talk about how best to navigate university policy and opportunities. Best of luck!
Hi all! My name is Olivia Buccieri and I'm a second year from Thousand Oaks, CA, majoring in Conservation and Resource Studies with an intended Italian Studies minor. I love to read, go to the beach, hike, and learn new things. I keep a film camera on me wherever I go because you never know when you're living in the good times until it turns into a memory (pro tip: nature is extremely photogenic). I channel my passion for environmental justice and awareness into working for the Student Environmental Resource Center. I have an extensive background in journalism, including writing for the Daily Cal, and currently lead the baritone horn section as a second year in Cal Band. I also attended Berkeley’s Summer Bridge program as part of the 2019 cohort. In the future, I hope to study or intern abroad in Italy and Dublin. Navigating classes and campus can be daunting - don’t be afraid to ask for help! Come by my office hours or email me if you want to talk about class schedules, the environment, photography, or just life in general :)!
Hi! My name is Claire and I am a senior majoring in Ecosystem Management and minoring in Spanish. I am from Venice, California and have spent part of my life living in France so I understand how transitioning between places can be challenging - feel free to come chat about moving between different cultures! During my time at Cal, I have lived in the coops, have been involved with French club, SERC, the BSFC and have done research through SPUR - if you have any questions regarding this feel free to stop by. Outside of school, I love to go on hikes, cook, listen to music, and paint. I'd love to meet you!
Rausser College Class of 2022
Hello! My name is Justin, and I am a senior from Los Angeles, CA, studying Society & Environment and Business Administration. I will be serving in my third year as a Rausser College Peer Advisor, and I have loved my time as a member of the environmental community at UC Berkeley. I enjoy hiking up the Berkeley Hills, visiting local National Parks, and riding my electric skateboard around campus. Additionally, I am a cadet in Air Force ROTC and a pilot-select with aspirations to serve as a military aviator after graduating. While at Cal, I have led in Residential Life student government, carried out design research with the Fung Fellowship, worked as a work-study for Cal Athletics and the Berkeley Haas Center for Responsible Business, studied the Thai language, mentored students with NavCal and EOP STEM, interned with a major California energy utility company, traveled abroad to Turkey, and more. Feel free to attend my PAL office hours for questions relating to applying to the business school as an undergraduate, understanding simultaneous degrees, balancing extracurriculars with academics, searching for campus scholarships, getting involved in student organizations, or anything else Berkeley-related.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinhogenauer/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justin_hogenauer/
Hello! My name is Lisa, and I am a third-year Nutritional Sciences: Dietetics major from the Bay Area. At Cal, I am involved in the Student Nutrition Advocacy Club (SNAC), Alt. Protein Project, and Nutrition Outreach Workers (NOW). During my free time, I love playing the piano, spending time outdoors, discovering new music, and watching kdramas/anime. Feel free to drop by if you have questions about anything or want to talk about nutrition and food. I look forward to meeting you!
Hi everyone! My name is Jack Kleiger and I am a second-year Nutritional Science major. I was born and raised in Southern California in the San Fernando Valley and hope to go into the field of dentistry. Some of my favorite hobbies include going to the beach, watching movies, and spending time with family and friends. I definitely know how hard it can be to adjust to new places, let alone college, and I would love to help anyone out with this transition! In addition to being a Nutritional Science major, I am also on the pre-health track so if you have any questions please feel to reach out!
Hi everyone! My name is Jenny Lee and I am currently a rising Junior majoring in GPB. I am also completing the SCET certificate, working at the Wildermuth Lab at Koshland Hall, and working as assistant student graduate advisor in the PMB department, so if you have any questions about the IEOR space, research, or want to ask about PMB in general, let me know! In addition, I love music, eating good food, and talking with new people, so even if you don't have any questions about school, you can come by my office hours for a good chat or study session!
Hi! My name is Denice and I’m a senior studying Environmental Economics and Policy and minoring in Data Science. I am originally from New Jersey but moved around a lot. I have lived in China and have also attended ten different schools before, so I can help if you are struggling with getting adjusted at Cal! I went to high school in Rocklin, CA, which is about 20 miles from Sacramento. In my free time, I enjoy playing sports, reading, volunteering, and food! I am a very active person and particularly enjoy playing tennis, volleyball, hiking, and lifting! Besides being a PAL, I am also involved in Acts2Fellowship and Area Youth Ministry. I love CNR and Cal so please also stop by if you need advice on classes, clubs, or just wanna chat about sports, books, food, or life!
Hi everyone! My name is Tina, and I am a third year, studying Molecular Environmental Biology, Psychology and Applied Math, from SoCal! At Berkeley, I am a part of the Student Environmental Resource Center, National Residence Hall Honorary, Mathematics Undergraduate Student Association, Cal Alumni Student Association, and Molecular Biology research. In my free time, I enjoy backpacking and being outdoors, volunteering at my local aquarium and animal shelter, and reading at the Glade! Stop by my office hours if you have any questions or just for fun! Excited to meet you all! :)
Hello! My name is Udochi and I am a senior transfer student, majoring in Molecular and Environmental Biology (MEB). I’m originally from Elk Grove, but transferred from Santa Barbara City College last fall. As this is my first physical year on campus, I am really excited to get to know my fellow classmates, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community. When I’m not studying, you can probably find me running around the city, eating, shopping, hanging with friends, or binging on my favorite TV shows/movies! Despite being completely online last year, I was involved in the NSA (Nigerian Student Association), WC4BL (White Coats for Black Lives), NCNW (National Coalition of Negro Women), HUBBA (Haas Undergraduate Black in Business), AASD (African American Student Development), and BSP (Biology Scholars Program). I am also performing research on campus. So, if any of these are of interest to you, let me know and feel free to stop by my office hours for advice or just for fun! I’m very excited to get to know you all this upcoming school year! Go Bears!
Hi! I'm Grace, and I'm a fourth year student from Los Angeles studying Environmental Econ & Policy and Society & Environment. I love hiking, trying new restaurants, and watching shows with friends! Academically, I'm focused on environmental policy and justice, and am currently prelaw. I've researched in a few SPUR labs focused on policy. Outside of class, I've worked in residential life for four years, and I currently work for the Berkeley School of Law. I'm also a member of the Cal Women's Rugby team, and I love spending my time at Memorial Stadium! I've been a wide combination of majors in my time at Berkeley, and understand how picking your field of study can feel daunting. Feel free to reach out if you want to chat about finding a major/minor or balancing all the different parts of college ( or just life in general!).
Hi everyone! My name is Hannah, and I’m in my 4th year studying Environmental Sciences and minoring in Geography. As a San Francisco native, I find myself spending as much time out in the sun as possible, usually between classes out on Memorial Glade. I get really excited about any activity that involves a beach or the ocean and one of my favorite weekend trips is going to look at the tide pools down in Half Moon Bay/Pacifica. Outside of work and my schoolwork at Cal, I enjoy spending time outside with my friends, hiking, exploring the Bay Area, or taking a quick drive home to visit my family and dogs. In my time at Berkeley, I have completed science communication internships with the USGS and with the California Center for Ecosystem Climate Solutions, so if you have any questions about finding internships I am also more than happy to answer questions! Berkeley is an exciting and challenging place, and I’d love to help navigate that in any way I can. :)
Hi everyone! I'm a senior majoring in Society and Environment and Data Science, and minoring in Public Policy! I'm from SoCal and I love exploring the outdoors and travelling, spending time with animals (I love them all), singing and learning new instruments, and reading everything from novels to the news. At Cal, I'm involved in BEACN, and was a part of the Fung Fellowship in the Conservation and Tech Track, Ecode, and acapella. I'm hoping to go to law school to practice environmental, environmental justice, and animal rights law in the future. If any of these are of interest to you, or if there's anything at all you'd like to talk about, I'm more than happy to get to know you and help however I can! I look forward to meeting all of the wonderful members of our Rausser CNR family :)
Hello hello! My name is Julia Sarieva and I'm a 3rd year double majoring in Conservation & Resource Studies and Ecosystem Management & Forestry. I am interested in working in the field with animals and traveling the world. I am a mama to many, many plants and absolutely adore all animals, especially elephants. I am involved in a bunch of orgs and clubs on campus like the Armenian Student Association, MENA-RRC (Middle Eastern North African Recruitment & Retention Center), and much more! As a first generation, low-income student, I understand the struggles of navigating higher education and finding a community on campus, and I am more than happy to help anyone and offer advice. I am also very friendly and love meeting new people. I enjoy hearing about everyone's story so please don't hesitate to reach out! <3
Hello! My name is Matthew and I'm a third year student from San Mateo, California studying Conservation Resource Studies and Molecular Environmental Biology. In the future, I'm hoping to work in environmental education and incorporate more ecology, agriculture and environmental justice topics within the classroom. Outside of academics, I spend a lot of my time making silly drawings on Strava, window shopping at the Berkeley Horticultural Nursery and experimenting with planted aquariums. If you're ever looking for a friend or someone to do something with please let me know, I love hearing about the dreams and journeys other students have been on. Feel free to reach out for anything, (classes, Berkeley, CNR, research, career stuff, any life stuff, etc.) really looking forward to meeting everyone!
Hi everyone! I’m Angela and a transfer forth year studying Microbial Biology :) I’m originally from Ventura, CA and transferred from my local community college, Ventura College! In my free time I love to bake sweet vegan treats, watch movies and keep up with baseball (go Dodgers!) along with Formula 1 (manifesting a Stroll podium). Since transferring in Fall 2020 I’ve been super grateful for my time on the Student Technology Council, as an officer in The Wildlife Society at Berkeley, working on the Zero Waste Team in SERC and mentoring elementary/middle schoolers at various student organizations. Currently I’ve been seeking research and experience in my specific field of interest of microbial ecology and environmental microbiology and preparing for graduate school in the future. Feel free to swing by to talk about anything concerning classes, clubs, your interests, the transfer experience, stresses, or just hanging out! See you there :)
Health Worker
Read more about our Wellness Program for the Rausser College of Natural Resources here!
Hey there! My name is Gerard (he/him), a second-year studying Molecular Environmental Biology and minoring in Nutritional Sciences: Physiology and Metabolism. I’ll be your Raussser College of Natural Resources Health Worker! As a health worker, I can help you navigate resources for your wellness, stability, prosperity, and full potential as your peer “first point of contact” for non-emergency health advising. I also post health tips on the virtual bulletin board and via emails weekly to share basic illness, first aid, and safer sex information. Outside of being a health worker, I am a resident assistant in Unit 1, a lab technician for the Yildiz Lab in Stanley Hall, and a research assistant for the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland, CA! In my free time, I love caring for house plants, going on adventures with friends, and trying new foods. Hope to see you in my office hours!