Abigail Gould

Abbie Gould is a junior at Dominican University of California. This is her second semester as an EDJE fellow for the Reading Buddies program. Abbie was raised in Granite Bay, California for the majority of her life. She is a Communication and Media Studies Major with minors in Coding, Graphic Design, and Community Action and Social Change. She loves to travel and exercise with her family, whether it is hiking, running or kayaking. She is also on the women’s soccer team at Dominican and works as a coach at Marin FC. Abbie is always striving to stay busy and spread positivity to those around her.

What inspired/motivated you to become a CASC Minor? 

My first semester at Dominican, I was in a service learning class that gave me the opportunity to attend Reading Buddies. I instantly fell in love with the program. I enjoyed going to my service learning site each week because of the relationships I established with the students I worked with. I quickly learned that I was learning more from the community around me than the students were learning from myself. I wanted to be part of the program ever since. I went back the next semester and was asked to be a student fellow from the opportunities I had through my service learning classes.

If you were a policy maker what is a change or policy you would make? 

If I was a policy maker, I would reform California’s antiquated environmental policies so as to better prevent wildfires for the protection of the state and the nation. This is a personal issue for me because many friends and family members have been impacted by the recent wildfires in our state. They have been at risk of losing or have lost their homes.

How do you want to put the skills you learn at Dominican University to use after college?

I hope to put the skills I learn from my experiences at Dominican to help others and myself become more educated on significant issues in our community.

What has been an important class in the major for you so far and why? 

My junior year, I took a graphic design class. This class helped me realize my passion for illustrating certain issues and topics through art to help convey a message. I feel as this is a powerful way to discuss difficult topics because certain designs can have different meanings and interpretations to get others thinking about an issue.

What personal experiences set you apart?

I have been an athlete all of my life. I began playing soccer when I was two and haven’t stopped yet! I feel as if this has given me a driven and determined work ethic. When I put my mind to something, I do not stop until I have accomplished it to the best of my ability.

Describe an impactful moment from working with your community partner. The most impactful moment from my time at Reading Buddies is what I have learned from this opportunity. I loved seeing the students I worked with and seeing the excitement on their faces each time I was there. This opportunity changed the outlook I have on life and how fortunate I am to have been a volunteer here. I am sure I learned more from this community and experience than they learned from me. During my time at Reading Buddies, I became aware of the hardships students face and the lack of materials in their education system to help them succeed in life. This program has had a significant impact on the students who are participating in it and their test scores. It is statistically proven that kids who consistently work on the Smarty Ants reading program on the tablets have better and more improved reading skills than those who do not.