Alumni Profiles
Kristin Kohler, class of 2004| Life Since Pacific: 2004-2005: University of the Pacific, Graduate Studies, Department of Biological Sciences 2005-2006: Yale University, Ph.D. Program, Immunobiology After graduating from University of the Pacific I decided to stay at Pacific for graduate studies in the Department of Biological Sciences. I had a great time in the graduate program at Pacific and I was able to continue research with my undergraduate mentor. I was also fortunate enough to also pursue teaching as a teaching assistant for the Genetics course. After a year in the graduate program I applied to Ph.D. programs and ended up taking a position in the Immunobiology Ph.D. program at Yale University. I am currently finishing my first year and am very much enjoying the program. I do, however, very much miss Pacific and the numerous people who have made a huge impact on my life. | |
The Honors Experience: The honors program really enriched my college experience by providing a great atmosphere to engage in intellectual discussions and colloquia. The coursework was enjoyable because it allowed me to interact with students outside of my field and this often lead to extremely engaging discussions. We explored many philosophical and practical topics, and evaluating ideas and solutions from a number of different perspectives allowed for a deeper understanding of the issues at hand. Beyond coursework, I think the colloquia were also essential for my ‘extra-curricular’ development. I always appreciated being in the program because there are often so many interesting events on campus that it is hard to keep track of them and stay informed. I had the opportunity to attend a variety of different events including presentations from a variety of different authors, poetry readings, performance art (that was really different), lectures from various political leaders, musical performances, etc. These colloquia really forced me to get out of the lab and see what was going on in the rest of the world. | |
Senior Project Abstract: Molecular Characterization of Silk from the Black Widow Spider, Latrodectus hesperus Silk spinning by the black widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus, leads to the formation of fibers that exhibit exceptional strength and toughness. However, the lack of understanding of the protein processing in silk glands has prevented the recapitulation of these properties in vitro from reconstituted or genetically engineered silks. To further our understanding of the roles of silk proteins in silk processing, we sought to identify multiple silk constituents and analyze their glandular expression profiles. Using standard screening techniques, we isolated the genes for several silk proteins from a spider silk gland cDNA library. Glandular expression of these silk genes was assayed through Northern blot analysis and quantitative Real Time RT-PCR. Concurrently, we investigated the regulation of these silk genes by analyzing the expression profile and transcriptional activities of a spider bHLH transcription factor that was isolated in the library screen. In the end, through analyzing the primary sequence retrieved from the library screen we confirmed the identity of three core silk proteins and several associated proteins. We also found that expression of these silk proteins was not limited to single glands as previously suggested; instead, several core silk fibroins exhibited more ubiquitous expression. Our findings suggest that spider silk requires multiple associated proteins for proper function and that the glandular production of silk is not limited to one core protein. |
Kristen Marshall, class of 2005
| Life Since Pacific: I graduated from Pacific in May 2005 with two bachelor's degrees (B.A. in International Relations (SIS) and B.A. in Hispanic Language and Literature (COP)) and a double minor (Business Management (ESB) and Religious Studies (COP)). Since then, I have spent three weeks at Africa University in Zimbabwe, working alongside students to build housing on campus. In September 2005, I entered a three-year Masters of Divinity program at Pacific School of Religion in the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, and accepted a part-time job gaining experience in parish ministry (including youth ministry, cross-cultural ministry adn mission, and Hispanic ministry) at Burlingame United Methodist Church. My current plans are to graduate in 2008 and continue working towards ordination in the United Methodist Church. | |
The Honors Experience: Completing the Honors Program at Pacific was a wonderful challenge. I particularly enjoyed the animated and multi-disciplinary discussions we engaged in during our Honors Seminars, when we attempted to solve, or at least comprehend, some of the world's problems one (informed) opinion at a time. The Honors community, especially in the John Ballantyne and Carter Residence Halls, was unrivaled for cohesiveness and spirit, and I will always fondly remember my time there. The program was challenging, but flexible enough that I was able to study abroad and still complete all of the requirements. | |
Senior Project Abstract: Civil Conflict and the Private Sector My Senior Project was completed through the School of International Studies. It consisted of a research paper and presentation before a panel of professors and peers. The topic of my project was the effect of civil conflict on the private sector of the economy, and I took Nicaragua from 1970 to the present as a case study, using political science literature, economic statistics, and interviews to complete my study. |
Keith Boyer, class of 2005
| Life Since Pacific: After graduating Pacific, I started at Pacific's School of Dentistry. I am almost 3/4 the way through my first year. I will start treating patients in about 5 months. | |
The Honors Experience: As a resident and Resident Assistant in the Honors halls, I got to meet some really great people, with many of whom I still keep in touch. Sharing common interests and studies with people in the Honors Program helped to make my college experience a very enjoyable one. Without a doubt, living in the community surrounded by my peers made for an unforgettable life lesson. | |
Senior Project Abstract: I do not have a senior project; I am continuing my education at the Pacific School of Dentistry. |
Alex Wagner, class of 2005
| Life Since Pacific: Since I graduated from Pacific, I moved to Davis and began working for the Little Hoover Commission in Sacramento as an intern. The Little Hoover Commission is an independent, oversight commission that assesses the performance of state government. For the Commission, I helped conduct research and write sections of its report on how to improve the governance structure of the Cal-Fed Bay Delta Authority - this is the governing body that manages the Bay-Delta water resources in California. In November 2005, I left the Little Hoover Commission and began work for the Governor's Office of Planning and Research, also in Sacramento. This position is an appointed position and carries the title, Research Assistant. This office handles all the research and planning involved in policies proposed by the Governor's Office. Since I began working here, I have helped conduct research for the Governor's Strategic Growth Plan and the First Lady's Homeless and Poverty Task Force. On a daily basis, I help keep senior members of the Governor's staff abreast of national and state issues that have significant policy implications by providing news summaries and analyses of reports and studies. In the non-professional sense, I have joined an adult, co-ed recreational soccer team and have continued to play club field hockey (two sports I played while at Pacific). | |
The Honors Experience: The Honors Program affected my life most significantly by exposing me to the world of grant-sponsored research. I received funding to conduct the research for my Honors thesis through the Dean's Research Award as well as through a private organization called the Robert Schalkenbach Foundation. After I graduated, I submitted my honors thesis to the Foundation who agreed to pay me $3,000 for the rights to publish it. The Honors Program provided me with the skills to seek and obtain funding to conduct independent research, which I hope to use in graduate school. I plan to enroll in a graduate program in Fall 2007 to obtain a PhD in History, with an emphasis on environmental justice and land use studies. | |
Senior Project Abstract: Rescued from Obscurity: The Impact of Henry George on the British Christian Socialists, 1879-1889 This article considers the influence of the 19th century American land reformer, Henry George ("Progress and Poverty," 1879), on the British Christian Socialist Movement. George - who advocated for a single tax on land as a solution to reduce the growing divide between the rich and poor - profoundly influenced leaders of the Christian Socialist Movement in Great Britain after the publication of his book "Progress and Poverty." By examining articles in the two main Christian Socialist periodicals and other writings by members of the movement before and after "Progress and Poverty" was published, it is clear that the movement's agenda shifted from one that was primarily concerned with establishing social justice through the use of cooperative societies to one that advocated for land reform and an end to the growing chasm between the rich and poor in Post-Industrial Revolution Great Britain. |
David Fisher, class of 2005
| Life Since Pacific: I am currently in the Police Academy with a projected graduation of March 9, 2006. I will then be working for a local police agency as a police officer. | |
The Honors Experience: As an honors student, I lived in the Honors dorm freshman year and I think that was a very good decision. I was able to meet many people from various backgrounds and areas, with a variety of majors, who all intended to study hard and do well in college. The people that I lived with and met became my best friends at Pacific for the duration of my time there, and were sources of inspiration as well as valued resources. Many of the people in the honors program were involved in various programs around campus, which led to increased exposure to various campus programs and groups. I was also able to work with many of these other students in honors classes and non-honors classes, which often challenged everyone through group work together and various assignments. Often, discussions in these classes were fruitful because everyone read the material, understood it, and was able to communicate effectively in the group settings. The social aspect of the honors program also affected my time at Pacific, as I had many opportunities to engage in social activities with friends. The difference I found between honors students and some non-honors students was that honors students were very able to have fun at times, but also knew when studying came first. This was especially true for working in study groups or for group class projects, as the groups were able to finish the tasks at hand proficiently and effectively. I think the program allowed me to experience a wide variety of programs, classes, ideas, and experiences that would have been less possible without the honors program. Programs such as the honors retreats, honors classes, colloquium, and other programs facilitated learning and experiences. | |
Senior Project Abstract: Relations of the Stocton Police and the Spanish-speaking Community This project investigates the relations between the Spanish-speaking community of Stockton, Ca and the Stockton Police Department, primarily the abilities of Spanish-speaking persons to communicate effectively with the Police Department. As a bilingual Police Department volunteer, I was able to use personal experiences when responding to assist the public, as well as surveys of Spanish-speaking Stockton residents and academic sources, to evaluate the extent to which both the police and the Spanish-speaking residents were able to communicate when necessary. I found that the Police Department had fewer Spanish-speaking patrol officers than should be deployed, often leading to officers being unable to obtain vital information regarding criminal activity and residents being unable to receive information or dispense needed information effectively. Within the study, I included recommendations to increase the number of Spanish translators available to patrol officers through various means, as well as instituting language training for patrol officers to allow minimal communication. By making a concerted effort to increase communication abilities by the Police Department, I feel cooperation and mutual understanding between both parties could be increased significantly. |
