Students identify historical events that they would have wanted to see firsthand
If you could be an eyewitness for one historical event, what would you pick and why?
Yani Gavaldon
First-year psychology and Spanish double major
“I would go back to when Jesus was alive. I’d like to see his teachings and how he interacted with people, partly because of my religious background — I’m Christian, so we learn a lot about that stuff.”
Joel Munoz
Fourth-year Spanish and biological sciences double major
“Martin Luther [King’s] ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. I’d pick that because he was very inspirational to everyone; [He knew] how society should be.”
Eric Avila
Second-year biological sciences major
“The gold rush. It was the first venture into California and discovering a new land, and California’s our home so it would be kind of cool to rediscover it.”
Chiko Katiki
Third-year forensic chemistry major
“I would’ve loved to witness when they abolished slavery in the U.S., the speech [by Lincoln which ended slavery].”
Emily Collins
Second-year human development major
“MLK’s speech, because it was one of the most incredible [parts] of history and it was a large turning point.”
Austen Bernardi
First-year graduate student in chemical engineering
“The discovery of planetary motion around the sun, because in terms of the magnitude [of which it changed] the human perspective and [how] it also affects science and technology to a great extent as well.”
Dani Macedo
Second-year design major
“The [time of the] photograph of the sailor kissing the nurse [after the end of WWII], because it seem[ed] like a really joyous day.”
Charit Mehta
Second-year biochemical engineering major
“I would pick when Isaac Newton released his publishings about the laws of nature, Principia Mathematica. I’d really want to be there because all the things he did [were] really groundbreaking, and he basically set the fundamentals of science.”
Miles Mok
Second-year civil engineering major
“I’d see the end of the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge, because I want to get into bridge design so I think that would be a pretty momentous occasion.”
Stephanie Liu
Second-year animal science major
“Back at the [time of] the founding of Roman civilization, Remus and Romulus, when they were fighting to try and become king — I’d like to go back and see that fight. It seems really interesting, they founded what would be a huge empire and I want to know the facts.”
Jeremy Weidner
Second-year economics major
“I might go back and watch the [1984 Olympics hosted in Los Angeles]. It doesn’t happen often in your country and I didn’t get to see it.”
Pietro Marthioni
Fourth-year international student from Chile
“I’ve always been interested in my country, Chile, and what happened in the ’70s — the military coup. I’m reading about that [now], and I’m interested in how people were able to survive with what was happening, and how the communist groups were able to carry on their ideals.”
Fran Martinez
Fourth-year international student from Chile
“I’d like to know more about what happened with the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette. I really like that part of history, with the money [issues] and how badly they treated the citizens.”
Tina Chen
Fourth-year design major
“The Titanic. I’d want to be on the Titanic while it was sinking. I’d probably die, or even if I didn’t die [I] could see that enormous thing going down and it would be really interesting.”
Graphic by Sandra Bae.
Photos by Jian Gelvezon.
