Marvin Lopez 

He/him 

• Major: Community and Regional Development 
• Apprentice, Arboretum Ambassador 2021-2024 

As an Arboretum Ambassador, my work focuses on public outreach and engagement. My team wants people to know the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden is here for them and that it can be a great way to decompress. My other duties in this role include supporting other Learning by Leading teams in their projects, such as community gardening events, tree plantings, and participating in plant sales. I first heard about the Arboretum Ambassador team back in 2021, when everyone just got back to campus from the pandemic. A friend of mine suggested I apply to be an Arboretum Ambassador because I like to be outdoors all the time. As a student coming from Los Angeles, it was initially difficult for me to adapt to Davis, and I needed something to feel like I belonged at UC Davis. Thankfully, I was given the opportunity to be an Arboretum Ambassador, combining the outdoors with leadership skills I wanted to develop. 

Since I started working here, I have grown within the Learning by Leading program thanks to my encouraging and kind staff mentor, Melissa Cruz Hernandez. Her input and advice have inspired me to pursue my career goals and develop skills that could be useful for my future career. This included workshop trainings and opportunities provided by our staff mentors and by the Internship and Career Center, which have helped me tremendously in developing my cover letter, resume, elevator pitch, career research, and networking skills. Thanks to staff mentors like Melissa Cruz Hernandez, Rachel Davis, Emily Griswold, and Angelica Sauceda I was able to learn more about climate-ready sustainability, geographical information systems, and how to interact with the public. Furthermore, I developed transferrable skills, such as effective time management, conflict resolution, strengths finding, team collaboration, and project management and coordination. 

From my time with the Ambassador team and other Learning by Leading students, I’ve even cultivated a network of long-term friends with whom I’ve shared many memories and good times with. Everyone in this program is so kind and caring – the Learning by Leading program is a gem for students looking to make an impact on sustainability and climate change. As a result of my time as an Arboretum Ambassador, I grew an interest in pursuing a career in transportation planning with the state government. Now, I hope to make cities feel more connected, green, and livable in California.