Photo portrait of UC Davis tour guide Jojo Carusa

Tell us a little about you.

Hi, I'm Jojo. I'm a fourth-year nutritional science and psychology double major, and I am a happy resident of cow town.

In the context of your background and your time at UC Davis, what makes you unique?

A unique part of my college experience has been playing rugby. I had never played the sport before, but I was really interested in getting involved. With support to learn the rules, It has been a surprising passion of mine, with practices and games motivating me to get my work done in a timely manner.

Why did you choose UC Davis?

I chose UC Davis because of the college town experience, high achieving academics, but most importantly, the sense of community. I look forward to the people I'll meet in my classes, the events happening on quad, and the familiar faces I'll see around campus.

What do you enjoy doing for fun here?

I love studying in the reading room, eating lunch on quad, walking through the Arboretum or the Green Belt.

What activities have you been involved in here?

While I have been at UC Davis, I have been involved with Tour Guides and its leadership recruitment team, rugby with a leadership position as social chair and a DEI committee member, the Good Foods Garden program as an intern, and the Yolo Food Bank as a nutritional education intern.

What do you like about academics and student life here?

The academics at UC Davis challenge you, but they always come with a plethora of support. We have tutoring centers, office hours with TAs/professors, and much more. As for student life, UC Davis is a college town so the whole area revolves around the students. It gives you tons of fun events to go to and a ton of people in your walk of life to make friends with!

Where have you found community and support on campus?

Seriously, everywhere. I think that any UC Davis building is equipped with study areas and at least one support center. However, more specifically, I found support from my major advising, of which I visit each quarter, and my clubs/team, which provides me a supportive team dynamic.

How has UC Davis helped you grow?

UC Davis provided me a safe space to explore and discover new parts of myself. I was able to find new career and major interests than I entered with, join a new sport, and invest myself into new communities in support of environmentalism and LGBTQ+ rights.

How do you feel UC Davis is preparing you for success?

I feel very prepared for success. By just checking a local posting board, my emails, or a professor's class announcements, I have found so many opportunities to get involved and off campus. With so many options, I have gotten the opportunity to choose my favorite ones and even get paid for some of my internship opportunities! I feel so much more equipped for my future career with the exploration UC Davis has provided me.

What do you hope/plan to do after you graduate?

Join the food corp and travel the United States for a year, teaching kids nutritional education and building community gardens.

What has surprised you about UC Davis?

I was shocked at how many bikes there are. You hear it is the biggest biking town in the United States, but it never quite hit me until I saw a bike circle during a passing period between classes. If you know, you know.

What would you tell prospective students about UC Davis?

UC Davis is a very diverse, welcoming, and supportive school. There is a niche for those of all interests, and we take pride in understanding others and ourselves better. If that sounds like a community you would enjoy, we would love for you to come join!

Social media

Instagram: @ahotcupof.jo