My name is Monica Santander, and I am currently a second year student at Cal Poly Pomona majoring in Environmental Biology and minoring in Political Science. Outside of class, I currently facilitate a Chemistry workshop and tutor on campus, and I am a volunteer mentor in the Pomona Unified School District for grades 6-8.

My long-term goal is to pursue a field in the sciences where I can offer my knowledge and passion to the betterment of society. This interest ranges from the social to the hands on. I plan to attend graduate school to study and research in the field of Biology; with this, I believe that whether it is teaching, research, or working on the municipal level, I will be giving back to the community. My greatest aspiration, however, has always been to teach. I have not had any past fieldwork experience, and I am excited at the prospect of praxis.

I enjoy hiking, listening to music, and traveling. I have traveled to Chile, Argentina, Spain, Netherlands, and Mexico. I love learning and seeing things from new perspectives. The most amazing experience I had during my first year of college was when I traveled to Amsterdam, Netherlands for a Political Science course and volunteered with their social services. Experiences like that and like the one I am about to experience are those that will shape my world.