Contact a Peer Advisor

Have a question about CNR majors, classes, professors, college requirements? Drop them a line at pal@berkeley.edu.

PAL Office Hours

Please check back in late January for PAL office hours for Spring semester.

Weekday	Time	Major	Peer Adivsor
Monday	9-10	FNR	Jena
	11-12	CRS	Dale
	12-1	FNR	Jena
	1-2	NS-D	Crystal
	3-5	MEB	Julie
	11-12	ES	Wendy
	2-3:30	GPB	Irene
Wednesday	11-1	MB	Samantha
	1-2	NS-D	Crystal
	2-4	MT	Rebekah
	3-4	CRS	Dale
Thursday	11-12	ES	Wendy
	12-2	MEB	Stephen
	1-2	GPB	Irene
	2-4	ES	Liz
Friday	11-1	EEP	Tay
	1-3	ES/MEB/NS-PM	Jimmy & Alex

Current Peer Advisors

Jimmy Rothschild Environmental Sciences and Molecular Environmental Biology double major		Adrienne Doi Molecular Environmental Biology major
“I believe strongly in providing a service back to my institution and others, so helping students through the PAL program fits me perfectly. ” Read More		" I recognized PAL as the perfect opportunity to give back to the student community. At the same time, I get to learn more about our wonderful college and I also get to meet new faces every week. " Read More
Alex Lau Nutritional Sciences - Physiology & Metabolism major		Irene Liao Genetics and Plant Biology major
"I was especially impressed by professors who knew me by name after just several office hours, the abundance of biological research, and the one-on-one faculty advising that far exceeded what was offered by other departments." Read More		"Within Cal is the CNR, a smaller community that is very friendly and personable. I have had the pleasure of getting to know the students in the college, being able talk to someone who shares the same interests in plants as I do or even just to listen to people talk about whatever interests them and hear the passion in their voice." Read More
Wendy Chen Environmental Sciences major		Rebekah Kim Molecular Toxicology major
"Berkeley is a large and fast-paced school and being apart of CNR gives me the feeling of a small, tightly knit community that I can't find anywhere else. We get a lot of one on one attention with our advisors, and it's clear that they care very much about their students." Read More		"My first semester at Berkeley was really difficult because I was new and taking upper division courses. With the help of a PAL, I was able to pull through the fall semester. She encouraged me to talk to professors about the problems I had and to my surprise they were really nice!" Read More
Samantha Bell Microbial Biology major		Crystal Kwan Nutritional Sciences - Dietetics major
"I have always been interested in pursuing a career in medicine or public health and someday I hope to become either a pediatric doctor, or a health educator for children." Read More		"My journey at Berkeley has had its share of obstacles, but having a reliable community to help me out has been crucial to my success here at Berkeley. The College of Natural Resources has been my source of solid advice, opportunity and community." Read More
Kay Nutritional Sciences major		Linda Truong Nutritional Sciences - Physiology & Metabolism major
		I am also pre-med and have taken all the pre-reqs for med school already. I really love to eat and love to learn everything about food; that's why I'm majoring in NutriSci!" Read More
Liz Dow Environmental Sciences major		Julie Ching Molecular Environmental Biology major
"I transferred from L&S into CNR last spring, so I am a relatively new addition to the college. I chose to do this because CNR's small college atmosphere is a place where where I can get attention from advisers and be around like-minded people." Read More		"I love CNR because it is like a family. Whenever I need help or just someone to talk to, I know that there are many people in CNR that can help me. " Read More
Stephen Kwan Molecular Environmental Biology major		Dale Dualan Conservation and Resource Studies major
"I want to be able to impart the knowledge that I have gained from experience onto incoming freshmen and/or transfers. By doing so, I hope that I will be able to help people have a more fufilling and enjoyable time at Berkeley!" Read More		"Thanks to CNR’s approachable staff, advisors, graduate and undergraduate communities and for the friends and family who’ve supported me throughout my college experience, I feel that I’ve been getting the best out of my education." Read More
Jena Riggert Forestry major		Tay Feder Environmental Economics and Policy major
"This coming summer I will be going to the Forestry Summer Camp, and am really exciting about all the skills that I will learn there. I think that my major is so perfect for me because what it really boils down to is that I just love trees and everything that they contribute to our world." Read More		"At Berkeley, I've been granted the privilege to be a student under world-class researchers and professors of energy economics, climate change, and information goods that have blown my mind." Read More

Frequently Asked Questions

Many students have questions about the same issues. Below we've answered some of those most frequently asked.

Please click on a link to display the information.

Obtaining an Advisor Code

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PAL Alumni

Jennifer Powers Nutritional Sciences - Dietetics major		Whitney Lau Nutritional Sciences - Dietetics major
"I have always had an interest in nutrition, so when I found out that UC Berkeley's Dietetics program was offered by CNR, a small and intimate college; I was even more excited to come to Cal. Since then, CNR has surpassed my expectations and has had such a positive impact on my journey at Cal." Read More		“Helping out on class advising was a wonderful experience during CalSO last summer. Being a CNR peer advisor, I hope I can help my fellow schoolmates.” Read More
Kelly Schirman Conservation and Resource Studies/English double major		Simo Yao Nutritional Sciences - Dietetics major
"I'm majoring in CRS because I want to work to preserve natural resources for future generations, and help protect the ones we still have today. I love taking advantage of all CNR has to offer, including smaller class sizes, more personal relationships with faculty and staff members, and of course, a wide variety of awesome environmental subjects to study." Read More		"I became a CNR Peer Advisor because I wanted to learn more about the opportunities that our college offers and help students find the right major for themselves." Read More
Jelyn Evangelista Molecular Toxicology major		Youh Ying "Amy" Lin Molecular Environmental Biology major
"I wanted to become a Peer Advisor because I thought it would be a great experience, but more importantly I'll get to help others who are also Mol Tox majors or transfers, like I was, who don't know all the ins and outs of the system." Read More		"I love how MEB provides many choices and flexibility in terms of class selection and my major also helps me with satisfying pre-med requirements." Read More
Tim Seo MEB/CRS double major		Jenn Quan Molecular Environmental Biology major
"I have received unlimited support from the Sponsored Projects for Undergraduate Research Program as well as top-notch graduate students in the lab. These experiences have helped me develop an analytically creative mind geared towards solving complex problems. " Read More		"I have gone through a lot of problems with my family and myself and totally understand that academic success first comes with good mental and physical health." Read More

Mission Statement

As College of Natural Resources students representing various majors, backgrounds, and interests, we strive to:

• Promote the positive aspects of the college by advising our peers through office hours, CNR seminars and events, and online communication;
• Address student needs by advising on major requirements, college policies, and procedures; and
• Develop students leaders within CNR.

Peer Advisors help fellow students discover the fantastic opportunities the College of Natural Resources offers, while earning credits and acquiring valuable leadership skills.

Position Overview

The peer advisors in the program:

• Engage in CNR recruitment and retention programs.
• Are trained in understanding CNR and university requirements, policies, and procedures.
• Make referrals to a wide variety of campus services and resources and provide information about transferring into CNR from other institutions and from elsewhere on the Berkeley campus.
• Work at information tables at the residence halls.
• Participate in the CNR Welcome Day Program, Cal Day, and Majors Fair.
• Assist CNR student affairs staff with various outreach programs.
• Manage other college-wide advising projects as assigned.

NOTE: Peer leaders do not have access to student records, transcripts, or student files. Peer leaders cannot sign petitions or process student petitions.

Benefits for Peer Advisors

• Gain strong presentation skills
• Become well-versed in CNR and University policies
• Become a recognized student leader at CNR
• Develop public speaking skills
• Earn 2 units of credit in ESPM 98/198 (Directed Group Study)

Becoming a PAL

If you are declared in a CNR major, have at least Sophomore status (30+ units), and have a 3.0 GPA or better, then you are a perfect candidate!

• Fill out the P.A.L. Application
• Submit the application to Donna L. Symon in the Office of Instruction and Student Affairs, 260 Mulford Hall by the last day of instruction in the semester during which you are applying. Applications to P.A.L. are accepted throughout the year. If you have been accepted for the Fall 2006 semester, you will be notified by email by the first week of August.