Garrett Dykier ’26 has made the most of his time at Whittier.
On May 8, he’ll cap it off by sharing celebratory and encouraging remarks as the undergraduate Commencement speaker.
A biochemistry major from Chino Hills, Calif., Garrett is a member of the swim team, where early mornings and long days pushed him to develop strong time management skills, learning how to handle a full schedule while staying open to new experiences.
“Balancing class, practice, exams, and homework is definitely not easy, but you get a rhythm going and things fall into place,” he said.
Garrett also embraced the opportunity to conduct undergraduate science and public health research. Though digging through background literature proved challenging at times, he found the hands-on work rewarding. He designed and adapted his own experiments to test plant-derived cleaning agents that could be sustainable alternatives to conventional chemical products. Garrett credited his strong network of faculty and staff mentors for their guidance.
“Shout out to Dr. Peterson, Dr. Ochoa, Dr. Link, Dr. Valenzuela, Dr. Isovitsch, Sarah Morgan, and Jackie Yutan.”
As the only senior biochemistry major in the Class of 2026, Garrett takes pride in the path he has forged and the support he received along the way. He’s currently working as a medical assistant and plans to continue honing his skills and gaining experience before applying to medical school in 2027.
While his current job has given him a glimpse into pain management and neurology, he is eager to discover the full range of specialties and paths the field has to offer. When it comes to the message he plans to share come May 8, graduates can expect a similar forward-looking sentiment. Though this Whittier College chapter is drawing to a close, the rest of the story is only just beginning.
Human Anatomy and Physiology with Dr. McNamara.
Either the fourth floor of the SLC or the third floor of the library.
I wear a size 14 shoe. It’s pretty normal to me, but it always seems to freak people out. I have to order all my shoes online.
A majority are with the swim team. One time, we went out to Corona Del Mar beach when it was freezing cold and swam in the ocean. The water had to be under 60°F, but we swam in it for a little under an hour. Definitely the scariest but most rewarding thing I’ve done.
STAY ON CAMPUS AS MUCH AS YOU CAN! I missed too many fun opportunities because I would rush home after class or swim practice. I wish I would’ve stuck around or even slept over in a friend’s dorm once in a while.
