West Coast Ambassadors
Our West Coast Admission Ambassadors are all current students at Davidson College ready to help you get to know Davidson from wherever you are in the western United States. Reach out to any of the ambassadors with questions or just to chat about life at Davidson.
Kyle Berlage '26 (he/him)
Hometown: San Diego, California
"Initially, I was hesitant to choose a college so far from home. However, once I visited Davidson, I felt a sense of belonging so strong that the distance didn't seem to matter. The experience of being at Davidson combines a number of incredibly important factors for me. The academics are unparalleled, the community is welcoming, and the campus has a seemingly endless list of facilities which I use daily. Being at Davidson is not about who is the smartest or endless competition with your peers. Rather, Davidson is a place where you can develop and find your passions unlike anywhere else."
Audrey Bohlin '25 (she/her)
Hometown: Santa Fe, New Mexico
"I was scared about the transition to Davidson since I didn't know anyone, but I just filled my time with clubs and said yes to as many involvements as I could stand. It took a while to stop feeling lost, but eventually I did and what ultimately made Davidson feel like home was when I could walk around campus and find a friendly face (whether that was a professor, staff member, or peer) wherever I went."
Emily Brestle '27
Hometown: Seattle, Washington
"Davidson is a school that balances academic rigor with the importance of investing in the community around you. Students are not only encouraged to pursue high level academics, but also to take a break and really connect with their peers. I feel like I have known my friends at Davidson for my whole life, as people have such a desire to connect with you. Professors want to help you, clubs and activities are always opening their doors to new members, and your classmates are always there to offer a smile as you come to class everyday. I feel like you can get the perfect college experience at Davidson, between the easy access to Charlotte, the charming nature of a small town like Davidson, and the abundant amount of activities on campus. There is never a lack of something to do and people to become closer to."
Elise Desjarlais '26 (she/her)
Hometown: Pasadena, California
"I wish I realized how important the walkability of this campus was. Since nothing is more than a 10 minute walk away, my friends and I are constantly going to random campus events at all times. We will see flyers for sports games, fun events with puppies, or random crafting events and decide on a whim to attend and have the best time. Davidson's campus is always bustling with a variety of activities and I love that I am able to take advantage of all of them without needing to be part of a specific organization or sign up to attend certain events."
Hunter Jue '26 (she/her)
Hometown: Orange County, California
"Davidson's environment is definitely different from what I grew up with, but in the best way possible. One of the things that has stood out to me the most is how caring and friendly everyone has been here. I am constantly being invited into people's homes for dinner, who I have just met, and had offers to stay at their homes if I ever find myself in their city. Southern hospitality is real!"
Priscila Magallan '27 (she/her)
Hometown: Los Angeles & Santa Rosa, California
"Moving thousands of miles away from home takes work. I remember feeling nervous about moving from the West to the East Coast. For me, it was the people that made it start to feel like home. During freshman orientation, I felt welcomed by everyone who were excited to see me and other students come to Davidson. STRIDE, another pre-orientation program designed for people of color also allowed me to meet so many wonderful people that I now consider as long-lasting friends. I even remember during my freshman year I stayed on campus for Thanksgiving break and I thought I was going to spend the holiday on my own. Instead, two of my professors invited me to their lovely home for Thanksgiving dinner. The students, staff, and professors are beyond friendly, always willing to help, and want to see you strive for success that has helped me see Davidson as my second loving home."
Katrina Peacock '27
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
"As a first-generation student, I genuinely had no clue about how college worked, let alone an institution like Davidson. I thought the most extremes about having no help and needing to figure any issue out on my own, but that simply isn’t true. Davidson has a ton of important resources that I never would’ve thought a college provided and encouraged use of! The writing center, embedded tutors, and workshops are some of the few I utilized and can confidently say have helped my college journey thus far. Before my enrollment, I feared being left to learn to do everything alone. However, if I knew that the truth was exactly the opposite of what I believed, it would’ve saved me a lot of hesitance."
Paul Skok '25 (he/him)
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
"My experience at Davidson has been incredible. The 'small-school' characteristics that help to build tight communities exist in classroom spaces, but also in student life and organizations around campus. In every club that I have spent time in (Davidson Outdoors, Russian Club, WALT Radio, Computer Science Club - Hack@Davidson, etc...) the community has been resoundingly warm and welcoming. I have built incredible friendships at Davidson and a huge factor is students and teachers being excited to lean into the Davidson community."
Keep Reading
Get to know our West Coast Ambassadors further in their My Davidson blog posts.
Davidson College students from the western United States reflect on how they've found home on the east coast and offer advice to prospective students also considering college further from home.
Six students from the western United States share what it was like to move to the east coast for college and offer advice for prospective students considering the decision to attend an east coast school like Davidson College.