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 viewpoints and experiences to current and prospective Rausser students. Our PALs are trained in understanding our College and University requirements, policies, and procedures. The goal these students is to offer peer adivsing to everyone - ranging from a propsective Berkeley student 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.
Here are the Spring 2021 Office Hours for the Peer Advisors that will be 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!
2020-2021 PALs
(click name or photo for student bio)
Hey everyone! I am a third year from San Diego, California studying Ecosystem Management and Forestry and Molecular Environmental Biology. My academic interests revolve around collaboration with diverse communities for wildlife conservation and management. I love being in the outdoors and will spontaneously go on hiking, backpacking, or climbing trips. I always bring along my camera for those awesome landscape and wildlife shots. On campus, I have had lots of fun being involved in the Students of Color Environmental Collective, a capella, work-study positions, independent research and SPUR projects. I would love to talk about any of these topics and others about all that CNR and Berkeley have to offer!
Hi! My name is Esha Aneja, and I’m a third-year Nutritional Science Physiology & Metabolism major and Disability Studies minor. I went to high school in the Bay Area, but I’ve lived all over the country from Georgia to New York to Los Angeles. 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 a second-year Microbial Biology major from the Bay Area. I love traveling, and I've been across Europe and Asia with my family. I'm involved in GBO and volunteer as an orientation leader. In my free time, I enjoy reading, thrifting, and learning new languages. I'm also a self-diagnosed meme addict, avid Buzzfeed quiz taker, and proficient baker. If you want to talk about the Bay Area, good books, Cal or anything else, feel free to stop by. Hope to see you soon!
Hi, I’m Celine! I’m a senior from Cupertino, California majoring in Molecular Environmental Biology and minoring in Chemistry. When I’m not studying, you can find me hiking or improving my photography skills. In addition to being a PAL, I’m involved in The Berkeley Project and The Daily Californian here at Cal. I have also had the opportunity to intern in Paris, France through a Berkeley Study Abroad program and I spent the Fall 2019 semester in Moorea, French Polynesia through ESPM C107 to work on an independent research project. I have been heavily involved in several different types of research (wet labs, field work, clinical settings) at Berkeley and UCSF, so feel free to reach out if you have any questions! Go bears!!
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 :)!
Hello! My name is Natasha and I’m a fourth year double majoring in Environmental Economics & Policy and Society & Environment. I was born in Japan and moved to the Bay Area when I was four. When I’m not talking about CNR, I’m usually talking about urban transportation planning and the movies I’ve most recently watched. In addition to being a PAL, I work on campus and am involved with the Berkeley Student Cooperative so if you have any questions regarding co-op housing, don’t hesitate to reach out! If you also want to exchange cooking recipes, movie recommendations, or just chat about life, I’m here to support you through the experience that is Berkeley!
Hello! I'm a Senior, majoring in Molecular Environmental Biology (MEB). This is my second year here at Berkeley, and I'm excited to share my journey as a transfer student. I am first generation and first in my family to go to college, so I understand things can be a little overwhelming and guidance is always helpful. On my free time, I love to watch re-runs of my favorite shows, playing with my puppy and going on long walks. If you have any questions about balancing work, school, and family. I'll share all my tips that I've discovered along the way. I aspire to be a Physician Assistant and will be applying this upcoming Spring. Please let me know if you need anything, I'm more than happy to help!
Rausser College Class of 2022
Justin Hogenauer '22, a third-year student at UC Berkeley studying Society & Environment and Business Administration, is a Rausser College Undergraduate Peer Advisor and the Cal Alumni Association Board Student Director. He was a Public Service Center Haas Leader, volunteered for Solar Spring Break with GRID Alternatives, and served on the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Sustainability. He is an Achievement Award Alumni Scholar, 2-time Leadership Award recipient, and an Air Force ROTC scholarship awardee. Justin will commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force after graduation to pursue a career as a pilot.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinhogenauer/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justin_hogenauer/
Hi Y'all! I'm Nicole and I'm a senior majoring in CRS! My area of interest is wildlife conservation and management, and I have a special passion for herpetology. I work in a research lab that focuses on the landscape ecology of reptiles and amphibians, and at home I have a three year old bearded dragon named Mango! Outside of class, I love hiking and exploring new places in the bay area. This is my third year being a PAL, and my favorite part is getting to know my fellow CNR peers and helping out wherever I can! Feel free to reach out if you ever want to chat!
Hi y'all! My name is Aileen and I am a senior Environmental Science major with a biological concentration. I'm from Philadelphia Pennsylvania, so if you ever want to talk about being an out-of-state student I'd be happy to. I love Rausser and I would love to talk about why choosing Berkeley was one of the best decisions of my life. I studied abroad in Australia fall of my junior year and would love to chat with you about that! I love cooking, swimming and hiking. If you ever need a rock/mineral identified or have questions about Rausser, let's chat!
Hi! My name is Jenny and I am a second year Genetics and Plant Biology major from Korea. I love cooking, listening to music, and watching anime, so feel free to come by and tell me about your favorite series! When I am not pursuing my hobbies, you can find me studying or hanging out with friends. I am in the Intermission Orchestra and currently work in a lab, so if you have any lab or club questions I gotchu :)
Hi! My name is Denice and I’m a third-year studying Environmental Economics and Policy and minoring in Data Science. I am originally from New Jersey but moved around a lot. I lived in China at one point and have also attended ten 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, 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 Koinonia Christian Fellowship 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 second year, studying Molecular Environmental Biology (Environment and Human Health Concentration), Psychology and Applied Math! I am from Los Angeles, CA and in my free time, I enjoy hiking/exploring new places, volunteering at the local aquarium or animal shelter, and watching crime investigation shows like Criminal Minds! This past year, I was a part of SERC (Student Environmental Resource Center), RHA (Residential Hall Association)/NRHH (National Residence Hall Honorary), SAAS (Student Association for Applied Statisitcs)/MUSA (Mathematics Undergraduate Student Association), CALPIRG (California Public Interest Research Group) and SPUR research. Stop by my office hours if you have any questions or just for fun! Excited to meet you all! :)
Hello y’all! My name is Harutyun Markosyan and this is my 4th and final year studying Society and Environment as well as Urban Studies here at UC Berkeley. When I am not volunteering with the Armenian Students Association or MENARRC (Middle East North African Recruitment & Retention Center), you can find me enjoying indie computer games. Coming from an Armenian-immigrant background, I understand the importance and difficulties of community building at a large university and would be glad to help you explore Berkeley's diverse communities and feel more at home within Cal and CNR. Please feel free to reach out about anything, whether the topic is classes, internships, extra-curriculars, volunteering, research, student groups, or even to just chat about animated TV shows!
Hi everyone! My name is Hannah, and I’m in my 3rd year studying Environmental Science. 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, running, exploring the Bay Area, or taking a quick drive home to visit my family and dogs. Berkeley is an exciting and challenging place, and I’d love to help navigate that in any way I can. :)
Hi everyone! My name is Ananya and I'm a junior majoring in Society and Environment and Data Science! 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 also involved in BEACN and Ecode, and I'm hoping to go to law school to practice environmental 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! My name is Teodora Reyes and I'm a senior from the San Fernando Valley (in Los Angeles, CA)! I'm majoring in Conservation and Resource Studies with a minor in Public Policy. I'm very passionate about environmental justice and mental health! I appreciate having spaces like the Students of Color Environmental Collective and the Basic Needs Center which have been a great resource in my time at CAL. I enjoy spending my time having conversations about our environments, connecting with friends, going on hikes and watching documentaries/goofy shows! As a first generation student, I understand the difficulties that you may across while navigating classes and campus communities. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any concerns over classes or just want to an ear to lean on! I'm looking forward to communicating with you all!
Hi everyone! My name is Rachel and I’m a third-year Microbial Biology major from Los Angeles, CA! When I’m not studying, I like to figure skate (join Cal Figure Skating, no experience needed!) and bake (keep an eye out for baked goods in the CNR advising office!). I also do research in the Koskella lab and am involved in Support, Encourage, and Develop for Children (SENDforC), a STEM mentorship organization. Although I love talking to people about courses and career paths, I also love talking about life and meeting new people, so please stop by!
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!