By Yesenia Barajas ’12

What draws many students to an excellent research institution like UC Davis is not always what stays engrained in their college memories. This is the case for Kathleen Lowe.

Kathleen was drawn to UC Davis because of its stellar reputation in science and engineering, and quite befittingly, she graduated with a degree in Applied Physics in 1986. Alas, Kathleen remembers riding at the equestrian center as one of her fondest memories and in fact, riding horses served as a way of undoing what Kathleen terms as a physics overload.

Now, Kathleen lives in the Virginia City highlands in Nevada and she playfully explains that wild horses beckoned her to Virginia City. Kathleen currently sits as president of Highlands Publishing LLC. Her publishing company is founded on helping students by giving them an opportunity to earn a $1,000 scholarship. Kathleen authored the book Dream Cat; she hopes the accompanying scholarship will not only inspire students but help catapult them toward their dreams.

Kathleen is a member of the Cal Aggie Alumni Association. She uses her membership as a way to make meaningful connections and give back to society. Kathleen does note that living out of state has made it difficult to attend CAAA events. Nevertheless, when asked why it was important to stay connected with UC Davis through mediums like CAAA, Kathleen, quite eloquently, states: “For me, UC Davis was the first major stepping stone to a very satisfying life. I'd like to help ensure that future students have an equally rewarding life experience.”

Posted September 2011