Co-Op Program

Eligibility

• Students must be enrolled at UC San Diego while in the Co-Op Program. This means students cannot apply to Co-Op positions (except at Catalent*) during their senior year, as Co-Op positions start in summer after senior students graduate. *Catalent hires year-round, so students can apply to Catalent during their senior year, start working at Catalent during their senior year and enroll in the Co-Op Program for the remainder of their senior year.
• The Co-Op Program is open to undergraduate students of all majors. However, students must read the job description to confirm eligibility, as companies seek specific majors and class standings for each position.
• Students are required to enroll in BISP 182 Cooperative Education and Analysis each quarter they are working at the Co-Op company, except for summer. It is a variable unit course, which means students can choose to take it for 2, 4 or 6 units. The class meets only three times during the quarter, during Week 1, Week 5 and Week 10. Students must enroll in this course in order to work at the company and be in the Co-Op Program.
• Students can participate in the Co-Op Program multiple times with the same or different companies.
  • At the end of each term, and until the student graduates, the company can offer the student the opportunity to continue the Co-Op position.
  • The company can offer the student full-time employment upon graduation.
• Students must have reliable transportation to get to work. Look up the company's address and determine how long it will take to get to work. Students need to factor in traffic, class schedule and any other commitments.
• UC San Diego requires all Co-Op students to have a minimum 2.5 GPA. Some Co-Op companies require a higher GPA; in this case, students need to meet the company's GPA requirement.

How and When to Apply and Enroll

Where and When to Find Open Co-Op Positions

• The left-hand sidebar of this page (Under Apply Now)
• On Handshake search "Co-Op" or search any Co-Op partner company listed above. Note that some co-op positions on Handshake might not be part of our Biological Sciences Co-Op Program. You can check with program director Melissa Hoon at mhoon@ucsd.edu to confirm whether or not co-op positions on Handshake are part of our Bio Sci Co-Op.
• Undergraduate Biological Sciences weekly student newsletter (subscribe here).
• Communications sent by various campus partners, including BUMMP, PATHS, CASP and Physical Sciences.
• Recruitment is year-round and peak recruitment is October-March. Note that Catalent hires year-round, meaning you will start working soon after applying. All other company’s Co-Op positions start in July.

How to Apply:

• Follow the guidelines on the application regarding what to include, such as attaching your resume and cover letter.
• It is recommended that prospective students email mhoon@ucsd.edu for resources on how to write a competitive resume and cover letter.
• It is also recommended that prospective Co-Op students schedule an appointment through Handshake to meet with a career coach for feedback on their resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile before applying to Co-Op positions.
• It is recommended that prospective students enroll in one or all of the professional development courses below prior to applying to and/or during enrollment in the Co-Op Program. BILD 80, 81 and 83 are open to Biological Sciences undergraduates only. BILD 84R is open to undergraduates of any major.
  • BILD 80 Job and Internship Applications (offered in Fall): Build a resume, cover letter, LinkedIn; learn where and how to apply to jobs.
  • BILD 81 Interview Skills (offered in Winter): Deep dive into behavioral interview skills.
  • BILD 83 Business Communications (offered in Spring): Learn and practice soft skills, such as leadership, communication and problem-solving.
  • BILD 84R Career Exploration (offered in Winter): Explore the many types of careers across the life sciences field that can be pursued with any major.

How to Enroll:

• After you sign an offer letter with a Co-Op company, email mhoon@ucsd.edu with the following information:
  • Your PID
  • Attach your signed offer letter
  • Company name and your position title
  • Your major and current year in school
  • Attach your resume and cover letter that you submitted to the company
  • Your approximate start date and end date with the company
  • The mode of reliable transportation you will take to get to work
• You will receive a response with next steps, including enrollment information for BISP 182 Cooperative Education and Analysis, the course you are required to take while in the Co-Op Program.
• Note that if you are hired at Catalent, you get to choose whether or not you’d like to enroll in the Co-Op Program. If you are hired at any other of our Co-Op partner companies, you are automatically in the Co-Op Program.

Program Outline

• All Co-Op positions are paid.
• Co-Op students are required to take BISP 182 Cooperative Education and Analysis every quarter they are working at the company, except for summer. In this course:
  • Class meets only three times per quarter, during Week 1, Week 5 and Week 10 for about 1.5 hours each time. The time commitment and workload is designed to support students’ work and academic schedules
  • In class, students will give presentations on what they are learning at work and discuss their Co-Op experience with their peers
  • Students will submit a weekly written reflection on their Co-Op experience
  • Students will be matched with a mentor at the company they work at
  • Students will conduct an informational interview at least once each quarter with someone who works at the company
  • Email program director Melissa Hoon at mhoon@ucsd.edu if you would like to view a sample syllabus of BISP 182.
• The company and student determine the student's summer start date and approximate end date.
• All positions last at least one year, except at MP Biomedicals where positions last six months. The company determines the length of the position and states it in the job description.
• Work schedules are determined by the company. Students work full-time during summer and part-time (usually 12-15 hours) during the academic year, except at MP Biomedicals where the students work full-time the entire time they are at the company. While working at MP Biomedicals from July-December, the student would enroll at UC San Diego as a part-time student and would be required to live in or near Irvine.
• Students must have consistent and reliable transportation to get to and from work, and must arrive at work early or on time for every shift.
• Co-Op students will be balancing academic, extracurricular and Co-Op commitments. It is strongly recommended that Co-Op students do not work or volunteer at another company while working in their Co-Op position.

Learning Outcomes

Co-Op students will gain:

• The opportunity to supplement your education with work experience in an industrial setting
• A mentor at your Co-Op company
• Professional development training from UC San Diego faculty and staff through BISP 182 Cooperative Education and Analysis, and academic credit for this course
• An expanded professional network

Upon completion of the Co-Op Program, students should be able to:

• Apply their coursework to solve real-world problems
• Identify their areas of strength and growth opportunities in an industrial setting
• Work effectively as a member of a team in an industrial setting
• Track their professional growth
• Identify solutions to problems that arise in their work experience and demonstrate the capacity to solve these problems both independently and collaboratively
• Demonstrate effective written and verbal communication when discussing scientific problems and solutions at work
• Exhibit professional and ethical behavior at all times while working
• Reflect on their commitment to a career in life sciences through networking, mentorship and self-evaluation
• Demonstrate how they plan to continue their professional development for career success
• Understand what it takes to be a competitive candidate in their field of interest
• Demonstrate strong soft skills, including leadership, collaboration, communication, self-awareness, and giving and receiving feedback
• Develop and maintain professional relationships, including with a mentor, for support and guidance with their professional endeavors, and for potential professional references on job and internship applications

Program Requirements and Protocols

• You must enroll in BISP 182 Cooperative Education and Analysis each quarter you're working at the Co-Op company, except for summer.
• You must have consistent and reliable transportation.
• Arrive at work early or on time for every shift.
• Follow company protocols and guidelines, including dress code, codes of conduct and ethics, and privacy laws. Your Co-Op position is a real, paid job and you will sign a contract with the company. If at any point you are not in compliance with the company's expectations or guidelines, your supervisor can terminate you. Termination means you are no longer enrolled in the Co-Op Program and no longer work at the company.
• Present yourself professionally and ethically at all times.
• Notify your supervisor in advance if you will be late or absent.
• Provide your supervisor with your availability at least one week in advance prior to the start of each quarter.
• Notify your supervisor immediately with changes to your schedule, such as class time updates.
• You must be available to work at the company full-time (40 hours per week, 8 hours per day M-F) during summer and part-time (roughly 12-15 hours per week) during the academic year, unless you are in the full-time only Co-Op track, where you’d work full-time approximately July-December and enroll at the university as a part-time student.
• Notify mhoon@ucsd.edu and your supervisor with any updates, challenges, or changes regarding your work experience, e.g., if you are unable to work due to circumstances such as illness or a death in the family. They will determine whether or not you can remain in the Co-Op Program if you are unable to work for an extended period of time.

Why Become a Co-Op Corporate Partner?

• Company brand elevation across UC San Diego, including featuring the company logo on our Co-Op website, a weekly Biological Sciences newsletter that is distributed to more than 5,000 undergraduate students.
• The opportunity to increase conversion rate of interns to full-time employees, as Co-Op corporate partners can extend full-time offers to Co-Op students after graduation.
• Diverse, world-class talent pipeline development through the Co-Op Program, which includes extensive professional development training by UC San Diego faculty and staff. BioCAP partners gain access to competitively trained, highly diverse students who are passionate about building their careers and applying the knowledge and skills they've developed through their education at one of the world's consistently top-ranked universities.
• Targeted marketing of Co-Op positions. The School of Biological Sciences Co-Op team works with BioCAP partners' talent acquisition teams to build a recruitment plan and promote positions to targeted, diverse student populations, such as (see "Recruitment Process" for specified reach and impact).
• Access to competitively trained, highly diverse talent that is passionate about building their careers and applying the knowledge and skills they've developed through their education at one of the world's consistently top-ranked universities. Some of UC San Diego's recent rankings and diversity statistics include:
  • 6th, 2022 Best Global Universities, U.S. News and World Report
  • 21st, best universities in the world, U.S. News and World Report
  • 3rd, America's Top Colleges, Forbes
  • 4th, top 10 public colleges in the West, Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings
  • 8th, Best Colleges, U.S. News & World Report, based on measures including retention and graduation rates, social mobility, faculty resources and academic reputation. The guidebook also named UC San Diego 13th among the best colleges for veterans.
  • 9th, best public university in the nation for LGBTQ+ students, Campus Pride, BestColleges, based on the university providing a quality academic experience and a safe and inclusive space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) students.
  • $1.54 Billion: UC San Diego received $1.54 billion in sponsored research funding for FY2021 (July 1-June 30). This marks the 12th consecutive year the campus has earned more than $1 billion in funding to support its extensive research enterprise.
  • 13th, best research university in the nation, Centre for Science and Technology Studies of Leiden University
  • 51 faculty members at UC San Diego are among the world's most influential researchers—those whose studies were among the top one percent most-cited publications in their fields based on their publications over the past decade—according to Clarivate Analytics' 2021 Highly Cited Researchers report.
  • Top 10%: UC San Diego was named a Social Mobility Innovator by CollegeNET, Inc. for successfully enrolling students from low-income backgrounds, graduating them into promising careers and fostering a campus culture based on inclusive excellence. UC San Diego has ranked among the top 10 percent of schools on the index for the past four years.
  • View more rankings here and a comprehensive undergraduate diversity profile here.

How to Become a BioCAP Partner

• Review the information on this page and contact mhoon@ucsd.edu to schedule a remote introductory meeting.
• Provide a gift to the UC San Diego Foundation in support of the School of Biological Sciences Corporate Affiliate Program (BioCAP) Fund (E7167). This fund provides support for School of Biological Sciences Corporate Affiliate Program (BioCAP) costs and other needs for the School of Biological Sciences.
• In recognition of this gift, the School of Biological Sciences will admit your company as a member of BioCAP for one year. Membership in BioCAP includes the following privileges:
  • Sponsor name and/or logo on the BioCAP website and other applicable materials
  • Opportunities to engage School of Biological Sciences students regarding paid work experience opportunities per established procedures and in accordance with applicable University of California and UC San Diego policies, as well as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
  • Invitations to campus events and symposia for talent, research, and faculty engagement
  • Opportunity to participate in the School of Biological Sciences Cooperative Education Program (Co-Op Program)
• Once your company confirms interest in participating in the Co-Op Program by contacting mhoon@ucsd.edu, our team will immediately provide exceptional customized support in identifying positions, confirming your hiring needs, developing an optimal marketing plan for your open Co-Op positions, and promoting these positions.

Recruitment Process

• Companies recruit year-round, though it is recommended that companies recruit from late-September (start of Fall quarter) to late-March (end of Winter quarter), as this is peak recruitment season for students. There are no hiring deadlines.
• Students begin working at their Co-Op company the summer after they are hired or during the summer they are hired. Companies generally have students start the week after the Fourth of July holiday.
• Companies are responsible for conducting the hiring process, including screening, interviewing, selecting candidates, providing the candidate with the offer letter, and for ensuring that the student is aware that this position is part of the Co-Op Program and is not a standard internship. The university will ensure the latter as well.
• The number of students a company hires is determined by the company.
• Companies are required to post open positions on Handshake and title positions on Handshake as follows: "Co-Op Program: [Insert position title] [insert length of commitment]"; e.g., "Co-Op Program: Research Assistant (one-year commitment)"
• Email Co-Op position Handshake links to mhoon@ucsd.edu. Our team will promote the positions to your targeted student population, as well as the following channels and campus diversity groups and programs, as applicable:
  • School of Biological Sciences weekly undergraduate student newsletter
  • Physical Sciences students
  • BioScholars (student honors organization)
  • Biological Sciences Student Organization (BSSA)
  • Chancellor's Associate Scholars Program (CASP): Local, high-achieving, talented low-income students
  • Biology Undergraduate and Master's Mentorship Program (BUMMP): Underrepresented minority (URM) students contributing to research
  • PATHways to STEM through Enhanced Access and Mentorship (PATHS): Underrepresented students in science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) and medicine
• Notify mhoon@ucsd.edu each time an offer letter has been signed. Our team will reach out to the student with next steps to confirm their enrollment in the Co-Op Program.
• The Co-Op Program staff advisor will reach out to corporate partners each week they are actively recruiting to confirm open positions, and will continue to promote these positions.
• The Co-Op Program staff advisor will reach out to corporate partners on a quarterly basis for a progress update on each student.
• Should any issues arise with your Co-Op students, please contact mhoon@ucsd.edu.

Meaningful Work and Mentorship Commitment

• Companies are required to provide the Co-Op student with a mentor who will support the student during the student's time at the company. The student will work with their company supervisor to determine who their mentor will be.
• Mentorship includes a weekly, every other week, or monthly discussion between the student and mentor that supports the student's professional development and career success. Students are required to attend these meetings prepared with questions for their mentor, and are required to report to their Co-Op cohort and faculty and staff advisors on what they are learning throughout their mentorship.
• The company is required to provide the student with meaningful work that gives them the opportunity to develop competitive professional skills and to understand how their work impacts the company's mission.

Current Co-Op Students

• Claire Andolina '24 (she/they/their)

  Project Specialist, Informatics at Thermo Fisher Scientific
  Neurobiology major, Computer Science/Engineering and Chemistry minors
  Connect with Claire to learn about her Co-Op experience on LinkedIn

  Claire is a fourth-year undergraduate who assists with software development and data analytics using primarily Structured Query Language (SQL), Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), and C#. Last year in the Co-Op Program, she worked in the Antibody Conjugation Manufacturing lab at Thermo Fisher as Scientist I, where she performed various methods of biochemical conjugation in compliance with research and development (R&D) policies. As a career goal, they would like to bridge the gap between technology and the sciences as a software engineer for a biotechnology company.

• 

  Manya Awal '23 (she/her/hers)

  Lab Assistant, Quality Control at Catalent
  Human Biology major, Cognitive Science minor
  Connect with Manya to learn about her Co-Op experience at maawal@ucsd.edu or LinkedIn

  Manya is a fourth-year undergraduate responsible for performing experiments for quality control (QC) chemists for drug samples they are testing. Her career goals are to work in the pharmaceutical industry and head her own company.

• Annabelle Bode '23 (she/her/hers)

  Quality Assurance Administrative Assistant at Catalent
  Ecology, Behavior and Evolution major
  Connect with Annabelle to learn about her Co-Op experience at abode@ucsd.edu

  Anabelle organizes, files, and archives documentation, including equipment files and lab notebooks, while making sure everything is running in order. She also reviews certificates of analysis and test method packets, and files them in an organized manner.

• 

  Chynna Doremus '23 (she/her/hers)

  Process Engineering Intern at Catalent
  Chemical Engineering major
  Connect with Chynna to learn more about her Co-Op experience at cdoremus@ucsd.edu or LinkedIn

  Chynna is a fourth-year undergraduate who assists in experimentation and development activities of active pharmaceutical compounds with the goal of optimizing bioavailability, disintegration, and overall quality of solid oral dosage forms. Her goal is to continue on a career path in the pharmaceutical industry and contribute to creating new medicines for patients around the world, as she believes this is a very fulfilling and fascinating job.

• 

  Lizbeth Hoffman '23 (she/her/hers)

  Cell Therapy Manufacturing Associate I at Excellos
  Biochemistry/Chemistry major
  Connect with Lizbeth to learn about her Co-Op experience at lhoffman@ucsd.edu or LinkedIn

  Liz is a fourth-year undergraduate who will graduate in March. She manufactures isolated white blood cell products that are used for cancer immunotherapies at a biotechnology startup. Her responsibilities also include maintaining department records, data collection, assisting with the order and release of critical materials, and adhering to good manufacturing practices in a cleanroom environment. After graduation, her goal is to continue learning as a member of Excellos and further her education with post-graduate studies.

• 

  Alexandra Jeffson '23 (she/her/hers)

  Antibody Manufacturing Intern II at Thermo Fisher Scientific
  Neurobiology major
  Connect with Alexandra to learn about her Co-Op experience at LinkedIn

  Alexandra is a fourth-year undergraduate who isolates antibodies from a supernatant culture of a hybridoma cell line and refines the final product to concentration and purification standards in a professional laboratory setting. Her goal in the Co-Op Program is to establish professional skills that she can apply in a career in the biopharmaceutical industry to manufacture life-saving treatments for patients with neurological disorders.

• Rochelle Kang '23 (she/her/hers)

  Manufacturing Research Associate I at Excellos
  General Biology major
  Connect with Rochelle to learn about her Co-Op experience at r2kang@ucsd.edu

  Rochelle is a fourth-year undergraduate whose daily and weekly tasks are often variable at Excellos, a biotechnology startup company that specializes in providing unique full-service contract development and manufacturing that pairs the collection of critical human cells and tissues with manufacturing. It has been eye-opening for her to work alongside extremely talented people and seeing the growth of a new company.

• 

  Justin Liang '23 (he/him/his)

  Manufacturing Intern, Next Generation Sequencing at Thermo Fisher Scientific
  Biochemistry/Chemistry major
  Connect with Justin to learn about his Co-Op experience at jul078@ucsd.edu

  Justin is a fourth-year undergraduate whose main responsibility is the formulations of chemical and biochemical reagents that will be used by other departments within Thermo Fisher. His career goals are to find a job that is enjoyable. His career goal is to find a job that is enjoyable and has a measurable impact on the development of cures for diseases.

• 

  Emely Rocha '23 (she/her/hers)

  Lab Assistant, Analytical Development/Pre-Formulation at Catalent
  Pharmacological Chemistry major
  Connect with Emely to learn about her Co-Op experience at emrocha@ucsd.edu or LinkedIn

  Emely is a fourth-year undergraduate who assists the Analytical Development/Pre-Formulation team in running physical characterization tests using various machines and instrumentation, including Powder X-Ray Diffraction (PXRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM). Additionally, she regularly performs lab inspections, prepares solutions, maintains a laboratory notebook, and writes reports that are sent to clients. Her career goal is to work as a chemist in the pharmaceutical industry and make an impact in discovering new cutting-edge drugs that will save lives worldwide.

• Nolan Tseng '24 (he/him/his)

  Process Engineer Assistant at Catalent
  Chemical Engineering major
  Connect with Nolan to learn about his Co-Op experience at nstseng@ucsd.edu or LinkedIn

  Nolan is a third-year undergraduate who assists in the process of making an oral drug tablet, which includes testing and manufacturing drug tablets onsite. His career goal is to become a process engineer in the pharmaceutical industry. He is also interested in exploring areas such as intellectual property (IP), regulatory affairs and project management.

• 

  Kelly Yeung '24 (she/her/hers)

  Bioinformatics Intern at Thermo Fisher Scientific
  Bioengineering: Biosystems major (June 2024 graduation)
  Connect with Kelly to learn about her Co-Op experience at kyeung@ucsd.edu or LinkedIn

  Kelly is a third-year undergraduate and says that the Co-Op Program has provided her with the amazing opportunity to work alongside professionals and further develop her career journeys. Her goal is to continue working at Thermo Fisher after she graduates.

Co-Op Program Alumni

• 

  Digvijay “DJ” Jani '22 (he/him/his)

  Former Scientist I at Thermo Fisher Scientific (July 2021-June 2022)
  B.S. Chemical Engineering, Biology and Chemistry minor
  Connect with DJ to learn about his Co-Op experience at djani@ucsd.edu or LinkedIn

  Digvijay is working as a compliance engineer at Illumina and is a graduate student in chemical engineering at UC San Diego. As a Scientist I at Thermo Fisher, he manufactured and performed quality control assays (TR-FRET, radioactive and protein concentration) on various buffers and reagents for use in analysis kits. He plans on working as a process engineer in the biomedical industry after his M.S. program and is interested in simultaneously learning bioinformatics.

• Duy An “Duy” Le '24 (he/him/his)

  Former Research and Development (R&D) Intern at MP Biomedicals (July-December 2022)
  Bioengineering: Biotechnology major, General Biology minor
  Connect with Duy to learn about his Co-Op experience at LinkedIn

  Duy is a third-year undergraduate who worked on a variety of projects for product development and product management, as well as quality assurance, at MP Biomedicals. He regularly gave presentations on his products to his team. He plans to go to graduate school and his career goal is to become a researcher focused on developing novel therapies for human diseases. At UC San Diego, he is involved with the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) and the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA)

• 

  Siara Magee '22 (she/her/hers)

  Former Lab Assistant/Associate Chemist at Catalent (September 2020-July 2022)
  B.S. Human Biology, Chemistry minor
  Connect with Siara to learn more about her Co-Op experience at LinkedIn

  At Catalent, Siara worked on a team of more than 20 scientists to understand and perform analytical development work crucial in early-phase development of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients. She was able to learn and become competent in techniques such as spectroscopy, liquid/gas chromatography and data-processing using Empower software. She eventually helped train newer interns. Siara is currently in the Doctor of Pharmacy Program at University of Southern California. Her career goal is to become an inpatient pharmacist or medical science liaison.

• Paulina Rosales '22 (she/her/hers)

  Former Quality Control Training Assistant at Catalent (June 2021-June 2022)
  B.S. Human Biology

• Ashley Thai '22 (she/her/hers)

  Former Drug Discovery Manufacturing Scientist I at Thermo Fisher Scientific (July 2021-June 2022)
  B.S. General Biology
  Connect with Ashley to learn more about her Co-Op experience at Linkedin

  At Thermo Fisher, Ashley gained extensive training on the Baculovirus Expression Vector System that focuses on insect cell culture. This process manufactures specific proteins through cell growth, transfection, infection, and harvesting. In addition to gaining lab skills, Ashley gained experience in inventory management projects, BSL-2 aseptic techniques, presenting scientific research, and team communication. She plans to go to medical school and her career goal is to become a clinician who serves underprivileged communities.

• 

  Melissa Hoon

  Director, Corporate Relations and Professional Development
  Director, Co-Op Program

  mhoon@ucsd.edu

  Melissa supports the School of Biological Science's Co-Op Program and Corporate Affiliates Program (BioCAP) by engaging students, alumni, and industry partners in an effort to prepare students for successful careers and to build a diverse talent pipeline in the life sciences and healthcare industries. She also assists career exploratory and communications courses that focus on soft skills to support students' professional development and career success.

• 

  Dr. Joseph Pogliano

  Professor, Molecular Biology
  Faculty Advisor, Co-Op Program

  jpogliano@ucsd.edu

  Joe Pogliano is a Professor of Molecular Biology and cofounder of Linnaeus Bioscience, Inc. He received B.S. degrees in Chemistry and Honors Biology from the University of Illinois, Champaign. He earned his PhD from Harvard Medical School where he studied cell division, outer membrane stress responses, antibiotic mechanism of action and protein secretion. As a postdoc at UC San Diego, he studied cytoskeletal proteins involved in plasmid DNA segregation. He joined the UC San Diego faculty in 2003 where his research has focused on using cell biological tools to study bacterial cell growth, DNA replication, cell division, outer membrane biogenesis, and the mechanisms by which antibiotics target these essential cellular processes. His lab recently discovered the "phage nucleus," a compartment formed by many bacteriophages that replicate in Pseudomonas. Joe and Kit Pogliano developed Bacterial Cytological Profiling (BCP) technology that provides a rapid method for screening for antibiotics against multidrug resistant bacteria and understanding their mechanisms of action.

• 

  Sarah R. Turner

  Director of Development

  sturner@ucsd.edu

  Sarah serves as a philanthropic gift officer for the School of Biological Sciences, working closely with the Dean and faculty to develop strong relationships with the UC San Diego community and industry partners. Sarah is a higher education advocate and connector for the life science community regionally and nationally. Sarah has a passion for student success and support programs and working to advance sustainability and human health efforts. Sarah is a proud alumna of UC San Diego.