1. Why did you choose to attend UC San Diego?
Bean:
Honestly, location. I turned down UC Berkeley to come to San Diego because of the weather and beaches in southern California. And the curriculum of Eleanor Roosevelt College. I have nothing but love for The Making of the Modern World classes.
2. What made you want to run for A.S. President?
Bean: The encouragement of my peers. I was supposed to study abroad in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa for the fall quarter and then graduate. But the issues here at UC San Diego are too important to be neglected and I was ready to take on the leadership role.
3. What are your priorities for the coming year?
Bean: My priorities include:
- Getting as many students as possible (at least 4,000) registered to vote in the Presidential election
- Finishing revisions to the AS Standing Rules to make the Council run as efficiently as possible
- Making the AS as transparent as possible
- Empowering students to effect real change here at UC San Diego by communicating the opportunities possible through AS
- Uniting students to realize their full potential and power here at the university, transferrable to global problems
- Creating an atmosphere of face-to-face contact between the AS and the student body
4. What advice would you give to an incoming freshman?
Bean: Don't ever hesitate to get involved. My biggest mistake freshman year was being overly concerned about my GPA and academics in general. At orientation, we were all told that our high school GPAs would drop an entire point, so I passed up all of the amazing opportunities at the university to focus on my grades. So, get involved! With a student organization, AS, your college council, school newspaper – just do it.
5. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Bean: I'm not too sure about an entire decade, but I am applying for service in the PeaceCorps. After that, I plan to earn a Master of Public Health/Master of Social Work and eventually my Ph.D. in Rural Sociology. I am extremely interested in development work and research of developing regions (particularly society's relationship to agricultural issues) and I would ultimately like to teach at the university level, after doing some work in the development world.
Favorite place on campus: Old Student Center
Favorite eatery on campus: Grove or Yogurt World (when it gets here)
Favorite class/subject:
Sociology
Favorite time of day: Late afternoon when the sun is waning and the lighting is perfect
Favorite UCSD tradition/event:
Sun God Festival
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Associated Students President Donna Bean first visited UC San Diego when she was in junior high, and she knew right away this was the university she wanted to attend. Years later, she arrived on campus thinking she’d major in history and political science, but instead she got hooked on sociology. This summer she gained real-world experience in the field while on a microfinance research fellowship in Tanzania. Now she’s back in San Diego and back on campus, ready for the school year. In this interview, she talks about her priorities as Associated Students president and her advice for new students.