Fall — 2005

Chris Bove

Science

“I’ve had all just great science teachers at SMC, but the best was Dr. Bresloff. He always applied physics to real-life situations, and that just makes it more exciting.”

Is there anything in the field of physics that can explain the phenomenon of ‘sweating bullets’? Probably not. But Chris Bove can explain it quite well. “I’m transferring next semester, and I’ve applied to all the UCs. They let you know at the end of April if you’ve made it in. And I’m still waiting!” he says with an edgy laugh. But it was UC Berkeley that loomed large in his plans for the future: plans facilitated by yet another program to reward hard work at SMC.

“I’m really here because I wanted to get into the Cooperative Admissions Program,” explains Chris. “I’d applied to Berkeley before, but didn’t get in. But they told me that if I took 60 units at a community college and got a 2.5 GPA or better, then I’d make it in. So I’m pretty much thinking it’s a slam dunk.”

But it wasn’t just any community college that Chris chose to mount his assault on the hallowed halls of Berkeley. “I think the Science program at SMC is one of the best of them here, and I’ve had some very great teachers in all my classes. And going to night school has been a real advantage for me, because I don’t have to fight all the traffic when I commute from the Valley. That’s a very cool thing, because you could just do all your classes at night and never have to deal with the freeways.”

As for engineering, Chris says, “You can apply the field to just about everything. You could be dealing with bioengineering, health issues, computers, mechanical and architectural applications…. The whole field is just very broad.” When asked about changes he’s seen in himself since starting at SMC, Chris replies, “I’m a whole lot smarter, that’s for sure! It’s just a very challenging college, and the only way you’ll ever get the most out of it is to make your plan… and stick to it. My counselors have always been there for me—online or in person—to make sure that’s what happened.”

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