Post by University of California, Berkeley

For most UC Berkeley grads, a life in rural or small-town California is the road not taken. But those who have become leaders in less populated parts of the state say their contributions and rewards are profound. “At Berkeley, we are often trained to tackle the big picture issues, to do big things in high places,” says alum Ricky Satomi, who is working as a forester for UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. “At the same time, you can have so much more impact at the local scale… you can build momentum by focusing on one community at a time,” he continues. Sarah Edwards tells a similar story. She grew up in the mountains of Calaveras County and came down to Berkeley for a bachelor’s degree and a law degree. She returned home and now serves a critical role as Calaveras County counsel. “You hear often about people leaving areas like this, going out and getting an education and never coming back,” she says. “I wouldn’t say that people should never leave. But I think it’s good when people leave, gain these experiences and then come back. They bring their experience to these communities, and there’s an interplay. And then maybe all of us can realize that the divide between cities and rural areas isn’t as big as we sometimes think it is.” Here are some alumni making an impact in small communities in order of appearance. Ricky Satomi, BS Forestry and Natural Resources, Society and Environment ’09, Master of Forestry ’16 Sarah Edwards, BA Classical Languages ’09 James Gallagher, BA Political Science ’03 Brent Holtz, Master’s and Ph.D. in plant pathology, ’89 and ’93 Rey León, BA Chicanx Studies, Emphasis in Public Health ’97 #UCBerkeley #CalAlumStory