The UC Davis Department of English presents Jelena Lapuz for the Student Profile Series! Jelena is an English major (Creative Writing emphasis) and minoring in Professional Writing.

What is your favorite memory at UC Davis?

I love the simplicity of studying in coffee shops downtown and the liveliness of seeing college students everywhere.

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about making diversity more mainstream in the media. Although there has been more of an effort in recent years to have diverse casts and characters, I would like to see more People of Color in leading roles instead of as side characters. I think fighting for better representation in the media is a worthy cause to be passionate about.

If you could write a book about your life, what would the title be?

If I could write a book about my life, I would title it Unwritten because I feel that attempting to put my entire life in a book would not accurately capture all the moments I would want to remember. I would rather just leave my life open to my own personal interpretation and leave the rest unwritten.

What makes you proud to be an English major?

I am proud to be an English major because I have been an avid bookworm since childhood. I have always enjoyed reading and writing, and it makes me proud to be able to major in something I am passionate about.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I see myself as a writer of some sort. I currently plan to pursue journalism after college, but I also enjoy other genres of writing such as fiction and poetry.

List three of your favorite English professors.

Professor Parama Roy, Professor Elizabeth Miller, and Professor Mark Jerng.

What do you do in your free time to unwind?

I like to write and dance in my free time. My favorite genres of writing are journalism, fiction, and poetry. My favorite styles of dance are hip hop/urban, jazz funk, and heels.

What is a must-read for an English major?

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

List three of your favorite English classes.

ENL 157: Detective Fiction, ENL 179: Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Literature, and ENL 180: Children's Literature.

If you had one wish for the English Department/Community here on campus...what would it be?

I wish the English Department received more recognition at UC Davis for all the hard work that they do. I think a lot of people see UC Davis as a predominantly STEM-oriented school, but we also have a stellar English Department.

Thank you! Now time for a speed round!

Cats or dogs?

Both!

Coffee or tea?

Both!

Early bird or night owl?

Night owl

Best major in the whole world?

English!