Pronunciation

Mariana (Mah-ree-AH-nah) Rangel (Ran-juhl)

I graduated from UC Davis with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Chicanx Studies with a minor in Education. My international experience began as an undergraduate student when I participated in the GPI US Japan Empowerment program. In this program, I had the opportunity to do homestay with 4 different families across different regions in Japan. Experiencing daily life in a different country provided me with a different perspective of my own life back home. I wanted to continue learning about different cultures, international education and reflecting on my own culture.

Shortly after graduating, I decided to go back to Japan to teach English for a year through the JET Program. I was interested to continue my international journey by working abroad and experiencing the country through a different lens. While in Japan, I also had the opportunity to explore a little bit of South Korea. I look back at this experience very fondly, as I met so many wonderful people and learned a lot about different cultures and myself. After my stay, I returned to UC Davis to continue pursuing my passion for higher education and student affairs.

As a first-generation college student, I understand the challenges of navigating university and a new environment. I also understand how daunting it may be to seek opportunities when everything is so new. I hope to help students engage in global learning through an opportunity that best fits their interests and needs. I look forward to working with you!