This is a story of my education at Davis thus far, thanking the people around me who helped me the most.

When I first arrived at UC Davis, I arrived as a STEPper. This was a special transitional program for minority and low-income students. I spent a summer before my freshman year with a cohort of students with similar interests. During this time, we also took classes. I had the pleasure of learning math with Grant Acosta, who is passionate about calculus and helping students learn. He got me to love math again, and conveyed the importance of its application to biology. I also took English and university expectations, which were a huge help in my transition to college.

My most challenging class, though, was chemistry. This is where I first met Rolf Unterleitner. At first I was terrified of this class and intimidated by others because I did poorly when it came to chemistry. Still though, Rolf challenged his students and inspired them to learn.

I remember always emailing him and asking for tips on how to study. I became frustrated with the material and myself because it just didn’t seem to make sense. But one thing was for sure:

Rolf never gave up on me.

I can’t thank him enough, nor can anyone he has encountered. He has a gift of inspiring others. His passion for chemistry and his goal to teach it effectively to his students is contagious. If you have ever had the pleasure of being in Rolf’s presence, you knew right off the bat was something special.

He is now in the hospital, fighting against mesothelioma. My peers and I, as well as many of his past students went to visit him. After everyone introducing themselves and talking about what they are currently doing in their lives, I took a moment to just take it all in. He has contributed to so many people’s successes. He made his students feel special and truly believed in them, and I got to see and be the evidence.

I am so happy we were all able to show our love and appreciation for him. He was always there to help, and it would be a shame if he were never thanked.

Think about those around you who have helped you. Thank them. Thank them now or thank them soon. You never know what people are going through, and you never know if those who give actually receive back.