Senior Spotlight: January 2011
Annie Varvaryan
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In Spring 2010, psychology major Annie Varvaryan from Los Angeles, California was initiated into Mortar Board for her superior scholastic ability, outstanding and continual leadership, and dedicated service to the community. Annie was elected by her peers to serve on the Membership Committee, where she was responsible for reviewing and making recommendations on membership policies and materials. However, for the Winter Quarter she is serving as the interim Vice President, where she is serving as a liaison to section coordinators, as well as performing other duties as assigned by the National Council. Outside of Mortar Board, Annie is involved in multiple psychology research labs (Easton Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Psychophysiology Lab at Semel Institute, and SISSL Lab), participates in research conferences, volunteers at the GCC Learning Center, all the while working as a ballet instructor at the local YMCA. If not already demonstrated by the previous impressive list of activities, Annie is clearly an accomplished person, as shown by her completion of the Los Angeles Marathon! Please continue reading as we turn the spotlight on Annie!
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Describe your personality in three words.
Animated, Inviting, Superstar
What is your best quality? Give an experience when you have put this quality to use.
I have a tendency to go after the things that I desire the most despite the hardships or conflicts I may encounter along the way. It has been a long journey to get to UCLA and although I thought I would never see the day, I finally made it and I know this quality will aid me into getting into graduate school and establishing a career. They say that if you can finish a marathon, then you can do anything else in the world because running the marathon is one of the most mentally and physically challenging feats in this world. I was lucky to have finished the Los Angeles marathon in the hopes that everything else would seem easier. It sounds silly, but The Climb by Miley Cyrus is truly the theme song of my life and I feel like it applies to me most.
What are your interests?
Too many to name! A few include dance, teaching dance, swim, reading any kind of non-fiction novel, video games (Zelda is my favorite), family, and pursuing the work of God.
What do you like about UCLA?
UCLA has given me the ability to enhance the opportunities I will possess after graduation. I have been lucky to have participated in prominent research conducted at UCLA and even have my name on a few papers. UCLA is one of the top-ranking research institutes in the entire world and to have been a part of that research is more than I could have asked for.
What is one thing you would like to change at UCLA?
There is a sense of independence and disregard seen in select departments at UCLA and I would hope that people would spend more time trying to help each other succeed rather than competing. I fear that most large institutions are this way, but if we all took the time to realize that we must all work together to create positive work, then perhaps there would not be such discomfort when in an academic environment.
What has been your biggest learning experience?
Teaching ballet at the YMCA has helped me grow as a person and realize that while I mainly work with older populations in my line of work, I also appreciate the youth and innocence of children. I did not possess prior experience in instructing 3-9 year olds in anything, much less dance, but it was a fun experience for me and hopefully for them as well.
Name two movies you could watch over and over again? Why?
Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle are my top two choices right now. I love any animated film; Miyazaki has a way of capturing truth in his characters, and I feel like I can relate to any of his films.
What is your favorite book and why?
This one is hard because I try not to choose favorites among my books, but if I had to narrow it down to one, it would be The Secret Life of Bees. Reading the story is very humbling and I would suggest it to anyone.
If you could meet anyone in history who would it be and why?
I am a huge Disney fan, so if there was ever one person, it would be Walt Disney. I was fortunate to make acquaintances with Roy Disney, his nephew, before Princess and the Frog was completed, and it seems that they were both very similar. They certainly looked the same and had the same passion for art and creating stories that people could temporarily escape to. I would love to meet the man who makes so many people happy on a daily basis with the world he has built.
If you could go anywhere in the world for a day where would you go and why?
I would love to go to Hogwarts, School of Witch Craft and Wizardry from Harry Potter, but since it does not really exist, I would want to visit Florida where they have a replica of Hogwarts at Universal Studios, and since I am there, I wouldn’t mind going to Walt Disney World either.
What career would you like to pursue after graduation? Why?
Ideally, I would like to pursue singing, but since I do not have any musical talent, I am probably going to stick with my plan of graduate school in Clinical Psychology after graduation. I just spent the fall quarter applying to several Ph. D. programs and wish to work at a hospital or as a therapist in a clinic after completion of my degree.
What characteristics does it take to become a great leader?
Just a few simple ones: Take all the advice of others, but ultimately, you must make your own choice, and apply yourself to the fullest extent in any work that you do to reach your full potential before you attempt to help others.
Name one person you admire? Why?
I admire any public figure that went to college. One example is Emma Watson, who was filming both parts of the last Harry Potter film, while a student at Brown University. Every time I feel as though my life could not get any more complicated or packed with work, I just remind myself of those who have it much worse.
Who has been your most influential professor and why?
Although no one at UCLA has had this professor, I would say Dr. Michael Harnett from my community college has had the most influence on me. He was the one professor I could approach to express my interests in research and he gave me the foundation for developing my own research hypotheses. I had him for two English courses and the following year, I became a teacher’s assistant for the course. Throughout the years, he has remained much like a personal advisor for me and for many other students and his compassion will never cease.
Which is the one television character that you simply adore?
Rory Gilmore from Gilmore Girls is definitely one character that I can definitely relate to and draw inspiration.
What are the three most played songs on your iPod?
Airplanes by B.o.B, featuring Haley Williams, Cosmic Love by Florence and the Machine, and Misguided Ghosts by Paramore.
If given a choice, which animal would you want to be? Why?
I would love to be a dolphin actually and swim freely in the ocean, preferably on the shores of Hawaii.
Have you traveled outside of the United States? If so, where?
Unfortunately, that will have to be a big fat no. My top choices as of right now are Japan, China, and Greece.
Which is the funniest prank played on you or played by you?
I don’t know if this qualifies as a prank, but during my 18th birthday party, all of my cousins decided to head outside the moment I was distracted by something else that I needed to do. Later, I went outside to look for them and they were standing by my new car and yelled surprise. This seems pretty typical, but I had made everyone promise that they wouldn’t ever make a big deal when they decided to get me a car or surprise me with one, and of course, they did.
What does being a member of Mortar Board mean to you?
It means so much more than I can explain in words. As a transfer student, I was awarded a Mortar Board scholarship and upon entrance to UCLA, I could not wait until winter quarter so that I could apply to the program because I saw something very special in Mortar Board. Before I knew it, I became a member and even a temporary Vice President. I am so blessed to be a part of this group, it has changed my entire experience at UCLA.
Animated, Inviting, Superstar
What is your best quality? Give an experience when you have put this quality to use.
I have a tendency to go after the things that I desire the most despite the hardships or conflicts I may encounter along the way. It has been a long journey to get to UCLA and although I thought I would never see the day, I finally made it and I know this quality will aid me into getting into graduate school and establishing a career. They say that if you can finish a marathon, then you can do anything else in the world because running the marathon is one of the most mentally and physically challenging feats in this world. I was lucky to have finished the Los Angeles marathon in the hopes that everything else would seem easier. It sounds silly, but The Climb by Miley Cyrus is truly the theme song of my life and I feel like it applies to me most.
What are your interests?
Too many to name! A few include dance, teaching dance, swim, reading any kind of non-fiction novel, video games (Zelda is my favorite), family, and pursuing the work of God.
What do you like about UCLA?
UCLA has given me the ability to enhance the opportunities I will possess after graduation. I have been lucky to have participated in prominent research conducted at UCLA and even have my name on a few papers. UCLA is one of the top-ranking research institutes in the entire world and to have been a part of that research is more than I could have asked for.
What is one thing you would like to change at UCLA?
There is a sense of independence and disregard seen in select departments at UCLA and I would hope that people would spend more time trying to help each other succeed rather than competing. I fear that most large institutions are this way, but if we all took the time to realize that we must all work together to create positive work, then perhaps there would not be such discomfort when in an academic environment.
What has been your biggest learning experience?
Teaching ballet at the YMCA has helped me grow as a person and realize that while I mainly work with older populations in my line of work, I also appreciate the youth and innocence of children. I did not possess prior experience in instructing 3-9 year olds in anything, much less dance, but it was a fun experience for me and hopefully for them as well.
Name two movies you could watch over and over again? Why?
Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle are my top two choices right now. I love any animated film; Miyazaki has a way of capturing truth in his characters, and I feel like I can relate to any of his films.
What is your favorite book and why?
This one is hard because I try not to choose favorites among my books, but if I had to narrow it down to one, it would be The Secret Life of Bees. Reading the story is very humbling and I would suggest it to anyone.
If you could meet anyone in history who would it be and why?
I am a huge Disney fan, so if there was ever one person, it would be Walt Disney. I was fortunate to make acquaintances with Roy Disney, his nephew, before Princess and the Frog was completed, and it seems that they were both very similar. They certainly looked the same and had the same passion for art and creating stories that people could temporarily escape to. I would love to meet the man who makes so many people happy on a daily basis with the world he has built.
If you could go anywhere in the world for a day where would you go and why?
I would love to go to Hogwarts, School of Witch Craft and Wizardry from Harry Potter, but since it does not really exist, I would want to visit Florida where they have a replica of Hogwarts at Universal Studios, and since I am there, I wouldn’t mind going to Walt Disney World either.
What career would you like to pursue after graduation? Why?
Ideally, I would like to pursue singing, but since I do not have any musical talent, I am probably going to stick with my plan of graduate school in Clinical Psychology after graduation. I just spent the fall quarter applying to several Ph. D. programs and wish to work at a hospital or as a therapist in a clinic after completion of my degree.
What characteristics does it take to become a great leader?
Just a few simple ones: Take all the advice of others, but ultimately, you must make your own choice, and apply yourself to the fullest extent in any work that you do to reach your full potential before you attempt to help others.
Name one person you admire? Why?
I admire any public figure that went to college. One example is Emma Watson, who was filming both parts of the last Harry Potter film, while a student at Brown University. Every time I feel as though my life could not get any more complicated or packed with work, I just remind myself of those who have it much worse.
Who has been your most influential professor and why?
Although no one at UCLA has had this professor, I would say Dr. Michael Harnett from my community college has had the most influence on me. He was the one professor I could approach to express my interests in research and he gave me the foundation for developing my own research hypotheses. I had him for two English courses and the following year, I became a teacher’s assistant for the course. Throughout the years, he has remained much like a personal advisor for me and for many other students and his compassion will never cease.
Which is the one television character that you simply adore?
Rory Gilmore from Gilmore Girls is definitely one character that I can definitely relate to and draw inspiration.
What are the three most played songs on your iPod?
Airplanes by B.o.B, featuring Haley Williams, Cosmic Love by Florence and the Machine, and Misguided Ghosts by Paramore.
If given a choice, which animal would you want to be? Why?
I would love to be a dolphin actually and swim freely in the ocean, preferably on the shores of Hawaii.
Have you traveled outside of the United States? If so, where?
Unfortunately, that will have to be a big fat no. My top choices as of right now are Japan, China, and Greece.
Which is the funniest prank played on you or played by you?
I don’t know if this qualifies as a prank, but during my 18th birthday party, all of my cousins decided to head outside the moment I was distracted by something else that I needed to do. Later, I went outside to look for them and they were standing by my new car and yelled surprise. This seems pretty typical, but I had made everyone promise that they wouldn’t ever make a big deal when they decided to get me a car or surprise me with one, and of course, they did.
What does being a member of Mortar Board mean to you?
It means so much more than I can explain in words. As a transfer student, I was awarded a Mortar Board scholarship and upon entrance to UCLA, I could not wait until winter quarter so that I could apply to the program because I saw something very special in Mortar Board. Before I knew it, I became a member and even a temporary Vice President. I am so blessed to be a part of this group, it has changed my entire experience at UCLA.
