Making a Difference

By Kathleen Holder

Tyson Babayco, a first-year history and classics double-major, is raising money for clean-water wells in Africa. He worked with student Christian organizations to start the 1,000 Wells project, part of a Blood:Water Mission founded by Christian rock group Jars of Clay. The UC Davis students, nearly all freshmen, collected more than $800 in donations within the first few days.

Now he dreams of earning a doctorate and founding universities in Third World countries.

“I feel an obligation to give back to the world,” he said. “I want to be a part of the generation that does something.”

Students, like Babayco, participate in numerous service projects, such as raising money for tsunami victims, serving meals to the homeless and tutoring schoolchildren.

“Student enthusiasm for internships and volunteering is up,” said Al Harrison, director of the Internship and Career Center.

The center places more than 6,000 students each year in internships, many involving community service, but Harrison said these numbers reflect only a fraction of student service.

Students also volunteer for campus, community and church programs. Others organize their own efforts to reduce feral cat populations, raise money for cancer research, raise awareness of genocide in the Sudan and work for many other causes.

“It’s not just résumé building,” Harrison said. “They’re interested in doing it. They want to help.”

But it’s a challenge for those who want to maintain good grades, study abroad, graduate within four years and, oftentimes, work.

Babayco said he dropped a class spring quarter, reducing his course load from 16 to 12 units, so he could devote 20 to 25 hours a week to 1,000 Wells, start a new job with the campus Annual Fund and still get As. Although just a freshman, he was looking ahead: He wants to do a senior honors thesis, which requires at least a 3.5 grade-point average.

Paying the way

Plays well with others

Helicopter parents

Stressed and depressed

A shift to the left

In the spirit

Beyond black and white

Born to be wired

Where’s my job?

Back to the introduction

Kathleen Holder is associate editor of UC Davis Magazine. David Owen and Joanna
Robinson contributed to these stories. Photos by Debbie Aldridge and Rachel Van Blankenship.