University of California, Berkeley graduates are making significant contributions to rural communities across California, according to an April 3 article. Alumni such as Ricky Satomi and Sarah Edwards have chosen career paths that lead them away from urban centers and into regions where their expertise can have a direct impact.
The involvement of these graduates in rural areas highlights the important role higher education can play beyond city environments. Their work helps address challenges unique to small towns and agricultural regions, while also bridging the gap between urban campuses and local communities.
Satomi, who grew up near Los Angeles and studied forestry at Berkeley, now works with community leaders on wildfire prevention in four rural counties. “At Berkeley, we are often trained to tackle the big picture issues, to do big things in high places,” Satomi said. “At the same time, you can have so much more impact at the local scale… Rather than trying to fix the entire state’s wildfire problem in one swing, you can build momentum by focusing on one community at a time.”
Sarah Edwards returned home after earning degrees from Berkeley Law and now serves as Calaveras County counsel. She said her experiences outside her hometown made her better equipped for her current role: “I think it’s good when people leave, gain these experiences and then come back. They bring their experience to these communities… And then maybe all of us can realize that the divide between cities and rural areas isn’t as big as we sometimes think it is.”
Other alumni like Brent Holtz have advanced agricultural practices through research on orchard sustainability while Rey León has led efforts for economic development as mayor of Huron. Despite facing skepticism due to Berkeley’s reputation or limited campus recognition for their work outside cities, these individuals persist in building relationships and providing leadership within their fields.
James Gallagher, Assembly minority leader and a Berkeley graduate himself, noted that rural Californians are often overlooked but acknowledged programs like forestry at UC Berkeley make meaningful contributions: “One thing that Berkeley is good at doing is really trying to help people better understand each other… Hopefully, that’s something that can be done better for rural California.”
As more students consider careers outside urban centers—and with ongoing challenges such as climate change affecting agriculture—alumni say there are growing opportunities for innovation and public service throughout California’s less populated regions.
