UHP Peer Mentor: Jen Barr

Howdy! I’m Jen, and I’m a third year double major in Creative Writing and Anthropology from a little town called Poway (basically, inland San Diego) which smells like wet hay when it rains and yet still has three Starbucks (last I checked, anyway).

 To keep me busy/insane during the year, I am co-editor-in-chief of Audeamus, the multi-disciplinary academic journal for honors students across the UC which is based at UCR; editor-in-chief of an online literary magazine for spoken word called Verbal Graffiti (www.verbalgraffitimag.com); and a member of Dancesport at UCR: Ballroom and Latin Dance Club.

 Currently, while I am writing this, I am staring at some beautiful mountains at Guadalupe Mountains National Park where I am spending the three months of summer as a park ranger intern. I used to work at a Boy Scout camp, so I occasionally arrange honors outings to local camps to do manual labor for community service, and I try to do work with a local Girl Scout troop. My career plans vary weekly between park ranger, university professor, freelance anthropologist, outdoor magazine editor, and professional beatnik. I backpack, kayak, tap dance, and drink large amounts of tea, which I invite you to drink with me.