Honor Society® member
Cole Walters
- public health
- Class of 2028
- bakersfield, CA
Member since April 2026
About
Hello! My name is Cole and I'm an undergrad student majoring in Public Health. There are a lot of different subdivisions to Public Health, so maybe as I continue through college I'll find one to specialize in. Right now, I'm aspiring to work in biostatistics, epidemiology, or environmental health. I currently go to Bakersfield College and work there as a Peer Tutor. Some of my hobbies include reading, watching TV, drawing, and learning to play guitar. It's been a blessing to have gotten involved with Honor Society!
Education
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bakersfield college
public health
2024 – 2026
Honors and awards
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national society of high school scholars
The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) is an organization that recognizes high school students and connects them to scholarships, internships, and more!
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ap scholar with distinction
The AP Scholar with Distinction award is given to students who have earned scores of 3 or higher on at least 5 AP exams, and who have maintained an average AP exam score of 3.5 or higher.
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california scholarship federation
The California Scholarship Federation (CSF) awards high school students for their academic performance. Classes are assigned point values and students are evaluated each semester.
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dean's list
The Dean's List is an academic award granted to college students who meet a minimum GPA requirement and number of credits enrolled. Students are evaluated each semester for qualification.
Goals and interests
- Career goal
Public Health is a broad field with several subdivisions to it. Some of the ones I'm most interested in are biostatistics, epidemiology, and environmental health. As I go further through college, I might find an area where I'd like to specialize in, but for now as I'm doing undergrad I'm still looking to find my exact interests. Ultimately, I found this degree interesting and I'm excited to see where I end up with it!
- Graduate school interests
I want to have an open mind about grad school in the future. I'm not completely sure what it would look like yet since I'm still completing my undergrad work, but I believe it's worth looking into. I've been keeping my eyes peeled for current opportunities to grow deeper in my studies, and I'm interested in my options for grad school. I have looked at a couple of schools so far and they've shown me that grad school is worth it, even though I don't have the details planned out yet. I'm not quite at a stage in my life where I know exactly what grad school would look like, but I understand that it's a valuable opportunity to grow as a student, employee, and person.
- Outside the classroom
I do a few different things in my free time! I recently got an electric guitar from some family friends so I've been hoping to learn how to play. I enjoy watching various TV shows and movies, and I like to read books. I've been going through a few I got from my church such as Gospel Threads by David Platt and Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney. Some other favorites of mine are the Hunger Games and Lord of the Rings series. I also like to draw. I started learning a few years ago and I've continued practicing various things over time. I mostly do digital art on an app called Ibis Paint X and I've been seeking out ways I can improve at it. I'm grateful to have things I can spend time on and have fun with while I'm pursuing my degree!
Experience
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peer tutor
Bakersfield College
Jan 2025 – Apr 2026
Volunteering
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Order Room and Yard Sale Room In college, I'm majoring in Public Health Science, and I received an opportunity that helped me use my studies beyond the classroom. My school partnered with a state organization called the California Consortium of Public Health Informatics and Technology (CCPHIT) to provide a job skills certificate program. Part of that program involved doing a semester-length internship with a local organization, and the one I ended up at was the Golden Empire Gleaners (GEG). GEG is a robust food bank that has helped feed families from all across my county! They operate in several capacities to deliver food, hygiene kits, and other goods to a wide range of people. During my internship with them, I was placed at a few different positions. I started by answering calls in the Order Room. GEG takes orders for food boxes from other organizations and prepares them for pickup, and then a representative takes it and drops it off to the family. In the Order Room, I would help organizations who were using GEG set up their order information, then give it to a team of volunteers who prepare the food box for pickup. On some days, the caller volume was so high that GEG ran out of boxes! I also helped work in the Yard Sale Room, which contains goods other than food. The yard sales make a vast catalog of different items affordable for people who might need them. Things from diapers, toys, furniture, and all sorts of other things are sold at discount prices, or even free, to whoever shows up to the yard sale. During down times when the Order Room and Yard Sale Room were closed, I helped with various clerical tasks. My internship with GEG showed me ways I can get involved outside my comfort zone. Even after committing to college, I would occasionally have doubts about whether I was on the right path, and focusing on school sometimes felt purposeless. GEG was an insightful taste of what I can do with my degree, and it reminded me of why I'm pursuing the degree I am. I can't wait to find more opportunities like this again in the future!
Golden Empire Gleaners
Oct 2025 – Dec 2025
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College Group AVL Team and Kids Ministry I'm blessed to be involved with volunteer opportunities at a wonderful church! I currently serve in the Audio-Visual-Lighting (AVL) Team in for my church's College Ministry. Specifically, I help with running sound equipment for a meeting during the week called Renown. At Renown, college-age people can find deep opportunities to connect with Jesus and their peers, and get more involved with their faith. Serving on sound can help set the mood for anything from enthusiastic worship to focused messages. It's been an excellent way to dig deeper in my faith! I've also recently started serving in the Kids Ministry. I serve in a first grade Sunday School class with a few other church members and help with various tasks that the class needs. I've had some prior experience working with kids through my family, and having an avenue where I can use that passion for Christ feels amazing. I'm looking forward to finding even more ways I can grow in serving the Lord!
Valley Baptist Church
Jun 2025 – Apr 2026
Languages
- Spanish Beginner
Additional information
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