2026 executive board

Hello! And welcome to the web page for Phi Delta Epsilon’s CA-Nu chapter at UC Santa Barbara. We are so excited that you are here.

My name is Cole Nadershahi, I am a third year microbiology student, and I have the honor and privilege of serving CA-Nu as Chapter President this year.

I joined Phi Delta Epsilon during the fall of my freshman year, just weeks into my college career. I didn’t know much of anything at the time, about college or otherwise, but there were two things that I did know. I knew I wanted to be a doctor, and I knew I needed serious help to achieve that goal. That's when I was introduced to CA-Nu, drawn to their table by little teddy bears in scrubs (Ask us to see them, they are adorable), but compelled to stay by the people holding them.

That is what makes our fraternity so special, the people. Indeed, as I reflect on my time in PhiDE, I find that a proverb repeatedly comes to mind, one that really encapsulates what this organization means to me: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” This couldn’t be more true, especially considering the journey to a white coat. It’s long, challenging, oftentimes quite lonely. You can go it alone, but it’s much easier to accomplish a whole lot more if you have a group of people who genuinely care for you backing you up.

Phi Delta Epsilon is so much more than a pre-professional organization. We are so much more than a community of like-minded individuals. We are a family. A family filled with some of the most intelligent, supportive, and deeply kind people I have had the pleasure of knowing. These are people who offer help before you ask, celebrate with you as you succeed, and offer a helping hand when you fall. We push each other to be the best versions of ourselves, and offer guidance and support to achieve our goals.

Being in Phi Delta Epsilon has fundamentally changed the person I am becoming. The support and guidance of this group has helped me go far, much further than I ever thought I could.

I hope that we can help you go far, too.

Best regards,

Cole Nadershahi

President

Phi Delta Epsilon, CA-Nu