Powell Scholar, Legal Scholar working to make impact
John Livingstone
BS and MAcc in Accounting | Willington, Delaware
John Livingstone is well on his way to making a difference in the world.
As a Pacific student, Livingstone helped develop a microgreen system used by food banks to feed the hungry and has volunteered for the past three years at Stockton Impact Corps, a nonprofit founded by Pacific students and community members to provide small business loans, business consulting and financial literacy training.
Along the way Livingstone completed Pacific's five-year dual accounting program in just four years. He leaves Pacific with both a bachelor's and master's degree in accounting on his way to Case Western Reserve University School of Law. There he is studying national security law or international criminal law to one day make an impact as a public sector attorney. The Delaware native came to Pacific because, during his visit to California, family friend Vincent D'Angelo of Tracy suggested Livingstone take a look at Pacific. Stanford, University of California, Berkeley, and other universities were initially on his list.
"Pacific popped up several times during my search," Livingstone said.
He visited the Stockton Campus and spoke with program directors for the Powell Scholars, the premier academic merit award, and Pacific Legal Scholars, which prepares students for law school. Those conversations, along with financial support from the programs, the campus' visual similarity to East Coast colleges, and the proximity to Yosemite National Park all convinced Livingstone to attend Pacific's Eberhardt School of Business.
Doing good is a constant theme for Livingstone. He was part of the Powell Scholars team that developed the Verdevis system for growing nutritious food for The Resource Connection Food Bank in San Andreas.
"I've always wanted to make a difference in the world. ... It was so cool to see that we had made even a small bit of difference in the community with the microgreens," Livingstone said.
Working with fellow Powell Scholars and a consistent group of accounting students in most of his courses means Livingstone now has personal connections for life. "I've made some very good friends here, across majors and across years," Livingstone said.
He also made connections with faculty.
"Talk to your professors, especially about topics other than class material," Livingstone said of advice he would give incoming freshman students. "Just go in and talk about anything. ... It's amazing what can happen from a 20-minute conversation."
