A ‘once-in-a-century’ Bruin experience
Recent graduate Andrew Panosian, who transferred to UCLA at the height of the pandemic, looks back to move ahead
Benjamin Walter
Andrew Panosian, UCLA class of 2022.
Lucy Berbeo | April 27, 2023
In the fall of 2020, the world was changing quickly — not least for students, who had to rapidly adjust to the reality of remote learning. For Andrew Panosian, newly admitted to UCLA as a transfer student and pre-med history major, it was a pivotal moment in time.
“The traditional college experience via in-person social activities and classes was nonexistent at first,” says Panosian, who graduated last year as a member of the class of 2022. “But I knew I couldn’t let the next two years go idly by and eventually look back with regret.”
Far from it: as a Bruin undergraduate, Panosian covered national news, science and health at the Daily Bruin, volunteered at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and interned with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. His exceptional academic path — according to recent data, just 12% of U.S. medical school applicants majored in the social sciences or humanities — granted him a unique perspective he hopes to share.
“I am proud of my time at UCLA,” he says. “Even though there was a global pandemic, and I didn’t live on campus to get the stereotypical experience, I did everything I set out to do and then some.”
How did you decide to major in history as a pre-med student?
I have always found myself intrigued by historical events and figures — the job of historians is to chronicle our past mistakes for reference by future generations, and that is quite important, especially for the scientific community. Yet history’s main purpose, in my opinion, is to build a bridge to our ancestors and what they did right. We’re still here as a species thanks to stories of our perseverance, which can only be told by the work of historians. That is what drew me to history and to connect it with medicine. Ultimately, I hope to attend medical school and bring this perspective with me.
Can you share a bit about your path to UCLA?
Before being a Bruin, I was a Vaquero. Attending Glendale Community College was not in the original roadmap for my higher education career, but I am so glad things ended up the way they did. During my two years there, I got ready for transfer in a variety of ways. I am most proud of serving as the president of the college’s honor society, which made me realize the power of giving back to those in need, further reinforced my career goals and introduced me to a wide range of mentors. It was through this program and the advice of my mentors that I was able to finally attend UCLA, one of my dream schools. I am proud to be a Bruin, but I will always remember where I came from and how I got here.
What was it like to transfer during COVID?
My transfer experience was a once-in-a-century phenomenon. The COVID-19 pandemic definitely impacted my mental health, and the online environment made joining the UCLA community very challenging. It may not have been easy, but I did my best to both learn and have fun while at UCLA. To paraphrase the great Jeff Goldblum, I found a way, and I will forever be grateful to the friends I made in class, at club meetings and at the Daily Bruin.
You’ve written about your formative experience at the Daily Bruin — is there anything you’d like to add?
Like most Bruins, I did not just take classes and go back home. I also took part in volunteering and part-time work that taught me a great deal about how to collaborate with others and become a more independent version of myself. Within my first six weeks as a student, I joined the Daily Bruin — an organization that came to define my time at UCLA and made me most proud to be a Bruin. What drew me to this group of people was that they all, like me, wish to make the world a less daunting and more informed place to live. In those next two years, I made several good friends who helped me in more ways than just work. The paper made me a better writer and a better person.
What’s next for you?
The horizon looks bright. I am hoping that the next year sees me get into the medical school of my dreams, just as UCLA was the university of my dreams. However, at this point, the application is pretty much set and it is more or less out of my control. What is in my control, however, is the ability to make more memories for myself before the rigors of a graduate education. That includes working for companies/organizations that would benefit from my unique background and education, and writing short stories and screenplays. Who knows, maybe one of those will get me an Oscar or Pulitzer Prize in 10 years. In the meantime, writing is an incredible way to express myself in a creative manner.
Finally, I think life is all about seeing and experiencing new things in order to stop prejudice from taking hold. Far too many of us live our lives in a bubble without seeing what life is like for others on the outside. Thus, as time permits, I hope to travel to places I have never been before and meet new individuals in the United States and beyond. All in all, I’m excited for the journey ahead, bumps and all.
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