Student Ambassadors
Berkeley Optometry Student Ambassadors work in conjunction with the Admissions & Student Affairs Office to provide prospective students with “real life” information regarding what it’s like to be an Optometry student here at UC Berkeley.
We encourage you to ask us questions via email and we will be happy to share with you our experiences and passion for Berkeley Optometry.
If you wish to connect with any of the Optometry Ambassadors, please email:
optometry-admissions@berkeley.eduClass of 2025 Ambassadors
Hear from our ambassadors from the class of 2025 by clicking on a name.
Julien has had a long-time interest in the healthcare field because of the unique ways a doctor can connect with patients. He ultimately decided to go into optometry after being won over by the many visits to the optometrist as well as the countless shadowing experience he was able to receive. Vision is the most important sense for a person’s well-being and Julien loves optometry for the opportunity to be able to help people see every day. Julien chose Berkeley Optometry for its diverse community, challenging but rewarding curriculum, and boundless patient experience compared to other schools. After a year at Berkeley Optometry, he can confidently say he made the right decision to attend here.
Having been at Berkeley for more than 5 years now, Julien likes to believe that he knows a little bit about Berkeley at this point. He would be delighted if any prospective students would like to reach out to him for advice about anything whether it be about applications, student life, and academics!
She is incredibly thankful to be attending the Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science because of the ample amount of support and resources that Berkeley Optometry provides to help their students thrive and succeed. The strong sense of community that this school holds has significantly enriched her experience as an optometry student, and she wants to share this sense of community to prospective students that are interested in Berkeley Optometry and/or in the field of optometry itself!
Lauren has always had a passion for assisting others within and even outside of the healthcare field. As a leadership-driven student, passionate about building connections, diversifying the optometric field, and equitable patient care; Optometry was a clear choice for Lauren after seeing firsthand the impact of ocular disease through familial experiences. These experiences have compelled her to become an optometrist who focuses on improving outcomes in underrepresented populations, while at the same time having an opportunity to serve a greater community holistically.
Lauren is proud to be an Optobear because she values the close knit community. Lauren is excited to assist others in learning more about the optometric field and what Berkeley Optometry has to offer. Lauren welcomes all questions and looks forward to meeting future students who are interested in the optometric field and being a part of the Berkeley Optometry family.
She is so excited that you are interested in applying to Berkeley Optometry! Svetlana loves the community here from kind colleagues to accessible and supportive faculty. She says the clinical program at Berkeley Optometry is like no other school because on your first day of OD1, you’ll learn how to use a slit lamp.
Haya has always had one belief that the purpose of life is to give. Since her high school days in Karachi, Haya has been driven by her passion for community service and has worked with various organizations to promote wellness and healthcare in her country. She decided to pursue optometry when two of her family members were diagnosed with eye diseases and she witnessed how the loss of vision affected them. She thought her family was fortunate enough to have access to eye care and the thought of those who did not was disheartening. Therefore, she hopes to make eye care accessible to marginalized communities. During her time in Toronto, she had the opportunity to work with experienced optometrists and ophthalmologists, inspiring her to apply to UC Berkeley Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science.
At Berkeley, Haya appreciates how the program brings diverse individuals together and exposes them to the clinical environment from day one, allowing students to succeed regardless of their backgrounds. Currently, Haya is in charge of arranging vision screenings as the Philanthropy Chair for the UC Berkeley Optometric Students Association (UCOSA), working on upcoming vision initiatives to promote better eye care.
When she was ten years old, Isabella told her Mom she wanted to be an optometrist. She received her first pair of glasses and was grateful for her clear vision. At the time it may have been naive, but with age she fell in love with science and began to think more seriously about a career in healthcare. Thinking back on her experience with her optometrist, she shadowed and decided optometry was the right fit for her. She admires the work-life balance and the ability to get to know her patients in the exam room.
As a current student, Isabella appreciates how kind her fellow students, administration, and faculty are here at Berkeley Optometry. She feels that all the students have one common goal of becoming the best optometrists they can be and they help each other along the way. Feel free to reach out to her if you have any questions about student life here at Berkeley, application advice, or anything else!
Baldemar served as Co-President of his class during his first-year, but he later transitioned to the role of AOSA Trustee-Elect, where he currently serves as lead for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion interest group. He enjoys networking in the industry and you will often see him send updates from optometry conferences throughout the year. He believes that as a student it is never too early to start making a difference, so speak up to your school administrators if there’s ever any change you want to bring to the school.
You are in for a journey in optometry school, but Berkeley Student Ambassadors are here to guide you, support you, and hopefully, empower you to thrive as future doctors of optometry!
Evan chose UCBSO because of the small, and tight-knit class size, as well as the world-renowned clinical education and on-campus resources that UC Berkeley has to offer. When applying to optometry school, Evan believes that there should be an emphasis on transparency, both from the school, and the prospective student. He applied to UCBSO during his senior year of undergrad, without taking the OAT, and would love to provide guidance for prospective students considering a similar approach.
He is excited to talk to any prospective students and would encourage them to reach out even with the smallest questions!