During their time here at UC Davis, many students develop a love affair for this school and town. However, one student has managed to turn that love affair into a lifestyle. Entering into her senior year, Sara Williams is basically a household name. She is about as involved as you can get without adding more days in the week, and essentially everything she does is for or about Davis. In addition to being the newly appointed ASUCD External Affairs Commission Chair, she is also a tour guide, and the Rainbow House Living Learning Community Peer Advisor in the residence halls. Sara was also an Orientation Leader, a Resident Advisor, a member of the Davis College Democrats, a reporter for the California Aggie, and an active leader in the Let’s Talk About Sex campaign that launched on our campus last year, all while double majoring in History and Political Science. Let’s just say, if there is ever a Davis trivia night at Woodstock’s, you would want Sara on your team.
Despite her busy schedule, Her Campus had the chance to snag an interview with Sara.
So what is your favorite thing about Davis?
The collegial atmosphere. This may sound weird, but when you walk around campus you feel like you’re in college. It is exactly what I imagined my undergraduate life to be like.
What has been your most rewarding experience since being at Davis?
I would probably have to say the work I did with student housing, because I can point directly to things I did that helped students adjust to college and find a community here. This is why I do everything that I do, I want students to find a place and a community in Davis and love Davis as much as I do.
What about your most challenging experience?
Since being in college, the most challenging experience I’ve had is trying to figure out how to best dedicate my time to have an impact on the Davis community as a whole, without spreading myself too thin. Davis offers so much, more than I’ve ever been offered before; so it was difficult to choose what really matters to me and what mark I want to leave on the campus community.
Tell me more about your plans as the new ASUCD External Affairs Commission Chair.
Many don’t know that ASUCD is working with a tight budget at the moment, so my goal is to minimize spending overall and work more with the Office of Advocacy and Student Representation (OASR), helping with their campaigns and spreading them across campus.
I also want to strengthen the relationship between the campus and the city. I want there to be a greater student presence and representation in local government.
What do you want to see change in both out campus community and Davis community as a whole?
I want us to continue to build the relationship between the university and the town, and not let it fall by the wayside. Since my freshman year I have seen increased resentment towards the university in the downtown environment. But we need to nurture that relationship and build it up, because that relationship is part of what defines Davis as a campus and community.
I would also like to see our campus community move beyond diversity as a hallow commitment and embracing diversity beyond the Principles of Community by creating a lasting and genuine commitment to ending isms on campus.
So what comes after Davis?
Ask me after Christmas…
(Sara is in the process of applying to law schools and has recently taken the LSAT. She hopes to stay in California to pursue her law degree.)
Sara’s Take on Davis Bests:
Best place to study: Mishka’s. Temple is ok, but the seats aren’t as comfy and the coffee is more expensive.
Best place to take a date: Delta Venus for a first date (Bagel and Eggs for $5.50); but if you are trying to seal the deal, Paesanos.
Best place on campus: Top level of Hutchinson parking garage at sunset
Best wings: Uncle Vito’s
The infamous debate of the best breakfast burrito: Ali Baba’s (#confirmed)