Meet Isabella Gonzales, one of the RAs for COSMOS!

By Isabelle Nguyen & Divya Agarwal

Meet Isabella Gonzales, one of the RAs for COSMOS! Isabella's favorite color is baby pink, she has a special fondness for dolphins, speaks Spanish fluently, and is an avid rower on UCI’s rowing team. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Isabella is currently a third-year Environmental Science and Policy major at UC Irvine. Her passion for environmental science ignited in seventh grade when she encountered various environmental issues and articles. This early exposure inspired her to imagine a world where environmental limitations could impact both her own future and that of others. She chose to major in Environmental Science and Policy because she believes her purpose is to enhance society by improving lives through environmental stewardship. In the future, she hopes to become a lawyer and work with underprivileged groups that suffer the brunt of environmental injustice. 

Isabella selected UCI for its diverse student body, outstanding educational and research funding, and the opportunity to stay close to her family. She values the strong connections she has made at UCI, describing them as a "chosen family." This is reflected by her incredible involvement in UCI through being an RA and working for Mesa Court while also being the Vice President of the women’s rowing team. As an RA for COSMOS, Isabella especially enjoys connecting with high school students and witnessing their growth and development since her own high school days.

In her free time, Isabella enjoys exercising and playing sports as well as basking in nature through activities such as backpacking, hiking, biking, swimming, and going to the beach. Being an avid foodie, she also loves going to cafes and trying new restaurants and different cuisines. 

Isabella stresses the importance of having a work-life balance and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for yourself. She strongly suggests making time for yourself, whether it be going on runs, working out, treating yourself to meals, or anything else that makes you feel happy. In times of stressful situations, Isabella encourages people to take a step back to examine the situation and determine whether it is worth the time and investment. She believes that it’s important to realize that we have limited power and control, so hoping for the best can help bring down stress levels. Finally, reflecting back on her own time in high school she has some insightful advice to offer to high schoolers. She wants to tell students to always “look a step ahead when you’re hurting the most” because everything will work out fine and in a few weeks, what’s hurting you will stop bothering you and you’ll “be in a better place.”