Marie Giron, Women's Volleyball, Class of 2009

What is your major?
Geology

What is it about your field of study that intrigues you?
Geology is an incredibly interesting field because it answers a lot of questions one might have had as a curious child.  Whether it's learning about what's inside of the earth or knowing how gems form and where they came from, one always learns something interesting.  Discoveries in geology have affected our everyday lives in ways you may not realize, and that is pretty cool to me.

What's your favorite part about being a student-athlete at Caltech?
I like the spirit of the athletics program and the support that students receive from the coaches with respect to academics.  Student-athletes are never limited and are encouraged to live up to their full potential.

Favorite place to eat on a road trip?
Jamba Juice, Wendy's, Subway, any place that serves root beer floats...

Who do you think is the most influential scientist in the world today and why?
I couldn't say...

What is the best part about living in California?
The best part of living in California is the food and the weather.  I couldn't imagine living somewhere where I couldn't grab delicious Thai food one day, and then get Italian the next.  Having lived in this area all my life, I often take the weather for granted, but rumor says it's great compared to the sometimes humid, sometimes freezing east coast.

What makes you laugh the most?
The things that make me laugh are: my dad's dumb jokes, my boyfriend's dumb jokes, hanging out with friends, and watching ridiculous things on TV.

What TV show do you have to watch every week?
Sadly for my studies: Heroes, How I Met Your Mother, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, 30 Rock, and Lost

Where do you get motivation from when things get tough?
I would have to say that fear of completely failing motivates me to get things done.  Also, my friends and my kitty can cheer me up and turn my day around.

Who is your favorite athlete at Caltech and why, any sport?
She's going to hit me for this, but my favorite athlete here is LISA YEE (volleyball and basketball)!!!!  She's insanely awesome, humble about her skills, and someone to really aspire to be.  Sometimes I think she's not human...  In addition, she sometimes abandons her tough, serious countenance and gives you a truly happy smile about once every couple of weeks...it really cheers you up!

Best team experience at Caltech?
My best team experience would have to be the tournament that the volleyball team travelled to this season.  It was a great bonding experience for everyone.  We played well, got to know each other better, and had a lot of fun taping up our injuries in restaurants and loading up on fro-yo.