Voices of Making Waves: Meet Ysabel David
“Sometimes lab research can feel very impersonal, but I really enjoy the interpersonal interactions and the community aspect of science,” shared Ysabel David (she/her), a graduating senior at Scripps College.
“The community aspect actually improves the science,” shared Ysabel.
“Showcasing stories of people’s identities can help other students see they can be a part of science, especially when they’re from underrepresented backgrounds. And when you have more diverse perspectives, experiences, and disciplines, you get so much more enrichment of ideas.”
A first-generation college student from Berkeley, California, Ysabel shared that “the idea of college was originally very intimidating. I didn’t think I would end up at Scripps, mostly for financial reasons.”
“I thought a University of California campus was going to be more affordable, but I ended up having an even better financial aid package from Scripps,” shared Ysabel, who also earned yearly scholarship funding from Making Waves.
“Being able to go through college without having to take out any student loans is huge, especially for my family.”
In addition to weighing financial aid, Ysabel was concerned about finding community. She participated in Scripps’ fly-in program, a two-day, cost-free visit opportunity for students of color and first-generation students, which helped her understand where she would find belonging.
“Attending Scripps has ended up being one of the best pathways that I’ve taken.”
STEM connections and mentorship
As a biology major, Ysabel describes her academic department as “very small and very close-knit.”
“Sometimes I’ve been in classes with 12 students,” she shared. “I really appreciate connecting directly with professors and having conversations before and after class, especially since STEM can be very intimidating.”
Outside her coursework, Ysabel has been heavily involved in undergraduate research, including various researcher roles at the W.M. Keck Science Department at Scripps as well as a summer research program at NYU’s Grossman School of Medicine.
“It’s been really inspiring to connect with faculty and have one-on-one mentorship,” Ysabel shared. “My professors and advisors really do care about mentorship with students.”
Advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education
Ysabel also serves as an intern for her department’s diversity, equity, and inclusion committee.
“I joined this committee my junior year,” she said. “It’s made my experience in the science department even better and has given me greater perspective on this field of work.”
“It’s been great to work alongside faculty and students who really care about equity and inclusion, especially in STEM, since there are a lot of barriers.”
“I feel very passionate about increasing accessibility in higher education, mentoring students who are from backgrounds similar to mine, and making sure people from underrepresented backgrounds feel supported in STEM,” shared Ysabel.
“As a first-gen student at a smaller, private, and predominately white university, it can sometimes feel like you’re very alone,” shared Ysabel.
“But it’s normal to feel alone sometimes. It might seem like everyone has it all put together, but really that all takes time.”
Finding community in college
“During my time at Scripps, I’ve realized that the communities are so intertwined. It’s really great to see familiar faces every day,” shared Ysabel, who is also pursuing a dance minor.
“I wanted dance to be a solid component of my college experience,” she shared. “I’ve had opportunities to perform and take dance classes every semester.”
“There’s a really beautiful dance community with people from different majors and backgrounds. Dance is important in my life, both as a creative outlet and way to meet other students.”
Another way Ysabel has built community is through the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of undergraduate and graduate colleges that share resources.
“This is a special part about Scripps. It has helped me find lots of activities and develop a really strong sense of community within different realms of my identities.”
The impact of partnering with a college coach
“There have definitely been ups and downs,” Ysabel shared. “There have been moments and semesters that were really hard, whether I needed to drop a class or take a class at a different time.”
“The financial aspects add stress in trying to graduate on time and keep my financial aid. That’s an added pressure that a lot of students here don’t have,” shared Ysabel, who is grateful for the support as a part of Making Waves’ college and career success program, which includes yearly scholarships and coaching.
“I always look forward to those coaching calls to reflect. I feel so encouraged and reassured,” shared Ysabel.
“Making Waves has made things feel a lot less scary knowing I have someone who I can always reach out to, especially when I can’t really reach out to my family in that way,” shared Ysabel, who took a year off from college and kept in touch with her coach throughout the process.
“I have mentorship from faculty, but there are minimal professors of color here or people coming from similar backgrounds to mine,” Ysabel shared. “It’s nice to have the Making Waves coaches since they’ve also experienced imposter syndrome the way I have. It’s grounding.”
“The biggest impact of being a part of Making Waves is being able to feel validated and not alone.”
A PhD on the horizon
“I always recommend staying open. I had a lot of expectations of one path and timeline, but it’s normal to stumble. It doesn’t mean you won’t be successful later,” Ysabel shared.
“Going through a bit of trial and error can be scary. But once I got through the instability, I think I came out feeling more confident in how to best support myself and how to ask for help in the future.”
Heading into her final semester, Ysabel is applying to graduate school and is considering biomedical and molecular biology PhD programs across the U.S., including on the East Coast.
“During my summer research opportunity at NYU, I had a taste of being in New York City and getting to be at a really big research institution,” she said. “My experience was amazing.”
Whichever direction Ysabel goes, she will find ways to unite science with accessibility and community.
“Science, accessibility, and community are so dependent on each other,” she shared.
“You can’t have a strong research environment without making sure that there’s access and a community where you’re able to have conversations about what’s happening socially and economically at our colleges and beyond.”
