Photo portrait of UC Davis tour guide Jack Crandall

First generation: Yes

Tell us a little about you.

I'm a first generation student from Oakland who loves to play video games and sports with friends. I own over 500 PC games and have built my own computer and keyboard, so I'd like to think that I'm pretty tech savvy. I also love to flip butterfly knives! Back in high school I played on my school's soccer team, I was captain of our volleyball team, and I was also a debate team member. Now at UC Davis I am a part of multiple gaming clubs and am lightly involved with Kendo Club (Japanese sword fighting).

Why did you choose UC Davis?

I chose UC Davis because I love the college town experience and the city's accessibility. I love being able to bike and skateboard anywhere I need to go, and the free public transportation available to students is always a great experience. Plus, because this is such a focused college town, everything I do and experience in the city feels very curated towards my life as a student. I love feeling like an important part of the city instead of being just another person in a crowd of millions.

What do you enjoy doing for fun here?

I love to casually play sports with my friends, and you can find courts and dedicated sport areas all throughout the city of Davis for every activity imaginable. Additionally, the Davis Greenbelt to the north of campus features miles upon miles of interconnected bike trails which makes for great adventures. They're especially fun to walk or bike around if you go at night when it's dark and mysterious, or if you like to play geocaching games on your phone. If I ever crave the feeling of a big city or a downtown area filled with skyscrapers, Sacramento is a short free bus ride away!

What do you like about academics and student life here?

My favorite part of the academics here at UC Davis is how cooperative the community is. My professors really feel like they're trying to help me learn instead of trying to judge me, and they are always super accommodating even when I start to fall behind. Additionally, I've never met a classmate who wasn't happy to help with homework or go over in-class material, and it's really nice to be surrounded by a community where everyone helps each other succeed.

Where have you found community and support on campus?

During my freshman year at UC Davis, I selected to be placed into a living learning community in the Segundo residence halls, where I met many of my current friends and other students who shared my interests. Being a tour guide has also given me an amazing community filled with other students who turned from coworkers into some of my closest friends

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

After I graduate, I hope to become a manager or consultant somewhere in the tech industry. Management is a skill that many managers do not actively practice, resulting in their oversight hindering their team's performance. I want to show the world that a good manager can consistently improve employees' production without sacrificing their quality or morale.

What would you tell prospective students about UC Davis?

I think that UC Davis is possibly the best university to grow up in and gain your independence. If you want to be in an environment that empowers you and makes you feel special, while also guiding you along your path to adulthood and maturity, there's no better place to be.

Social media

Instagram: @what2jack
Twitch: twitch.tv/what2jack