The town of Lindsay, California, was once known as “The Olive Capital of the World.” Now, this small city in Tulare County has the distinction of being run by the youngest mayor in California. Hipolito Cerros ’22 is just 25 years old and was initially elected to Lindsay City Council while juggling his studies at UC Davis.

“When the pandemic hit in 2020, I came home,” said Cerros. “I secured a seat on the city council and juggled those boards and committees with my school demands. It was difficult, but I was able to transfer what I was learning right into the real world.”

Cerros is now focused on boosting the town’s economic development and revitalizing its downtown to generate sales tax revenue, along with addressing issues related to street infrastructure and capital improvement projects.

Cerros credited his time at UC Davis for preparing him for the mayor’s role, especially his experience with the University of California Washington Program. His goals are to enter law school and one day represent District 22 in Congress.

“All of my professors had a deep impact on me,” said Cerros. “They gave me a really multifaceted perspective on civic issues and the collection of data. UC Davis definitely prepared me to tackle the challenges of the real world.”