Student Profile: Willow International Center – James Ros

The chemistry lab at the Willow International Center is brimming with ideas, energy, and enthusiasm, as students from the newly formed Planteers Club discuss their fundraising ideas and activities for the spring semester.

James Ros, a chemistry major, started the Planteers Club as a way for fellow students to get involved on the new campus. “The Planteers was a cartoon show in the early 1990s, and we wanted to use the theme of the show, saving the earth, to provide a platform for students to get involved and be informed about ecology and other issues,” said James.

The club has participated in many community service projects, including making sandwiches and feeding the homeless outside of the Poverello House  and participating in the cleanup efforts along the San Joaquin River. The goal of the club is to provide students with volunteer projects and community service opportunities, along with raising funds for local non-profit organizations and local charities.

James is a full-time student who will transfer to California State University, Fresno in the fall as a chemistry major. His educational goal is to become a pharmacist. In preparation for this career, he has worked at Veteran’s Medical Center as a technician in the pharmacy department and has also completed an internship at Kaiser Permanente. “My goal is to apply to and be accepted at either UC San Francisco or University of Pacific in Stockton,” said James. With a 3.8 grade point average, along with being a member of Alpha Gamma Sigma and a six-year Navy veteran, he is well on his way to reaching that goal.

He started taking classes at the Clovis Center in the fall of 2006 and completed his AA degree at the end of 2008. “I have really enjoyed the new Willow International campus and appreciate the open space and great views of the Sierra Nevada mountains. If this were a four-year university, I would stay here,” said James.

Now with more than 4,500 students at the Willow International campus, James is happy with the club’s progress and hopes to leave his mark on the campus. “New traditions are starting at this campus, and we are happy to be a part of this college center,” he added.

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