My name is Ryan Farkhondeh, and I am honored to have received this recognition. As a third year GDB major, I am continually surprised and joyous over the support and appreciation for their students. To let you know a little bit about myself before I get into my journey in the major and thereafter, I love carrots with all my heart, a close second is soccer, and if you want to find me I will most likely be at the ARC either studying or working out.

Picking GDB as my major was no more than a stroke of luck. When I was choosing my major at UC Davis, it was all online over COVID, and so I chose the one with the description I found the most appealing to me on the UC Davis website. Being at home, I did not think much about it because I wouldn't be on campus to be around or experience the major to its fullest extent. I am beyond happy, however, that I chose GDB because in my first meeting with Bianca Radut (who many of you I am sure know), she helped me resolve almost all my anxiety regarding starting at UC Davis. This trend only continued, as with each GDB advisor meeting I had, I was always met with compassion and support. To me, this was the most important, and helped me be less anxious so that I could pursue other efforts, such as joining Phi Delta Epsilon, Project Catalyst, and Shifa Community Clinic. The broader, global approach to health that GDB provides, and the general atmosphere of the major is a nice break from the harsh competition so commonly found in the STEM world. With the help of the diverse courses and research participation that GDB requires, I hope to apply and get into dental school after undergrad.