Devon Dickau is already successful in his young life ” and he’s barely left the starting gate.
Dickau’s future is bright after just graduating from the University of California, Los Angeles.
There is much more ahead for him.
Dickau is a 2003 graduate of University City High School (UCHS) and a longtime resident of the University City area.
He graduated from UCLA this past June magna cum laude, with a 3.83 grade point average that led to several awards and recognitions in his four years of study. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in American Literature and Culture.
In his senior year, Dickau was named one of eight UCLA Seniors of the Year. In addition, he received the Chancellor’s Service Award and ultimately induction into the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society.
“I was awarded the BruinLife Senior of the Year Award that is given to eight graduating seniors for their contributions to the campus and Los Angeles communities,” Dickau said. “It was quite an honor. I know my fellow UCLA graduates will go on to make amazing contributions to the world, and I hope to represent them the best way I can.”
Back in San Diego, in prior years, Dickau worked as a camp counselor and art teacher at Joe Nyiri’s art camp at the San Diego Zoo.
“I worked there starting when I was 14,” Dickau said. “And I worked there every summer for five years.”
Dickau and his family are deeply rooted as native San Diegans.
“I have two sisters who also graduated from UCHS and both of my parents went to high school in San Diego,” he said. “My dad was born here and my mom moved here when she was in middle school.”
Dickau was also an editor for the UCLA Daily Bruin, and the student newspaper won awards while he was contributing.
“As assistant arts and entertainment editor, I was on senior staff my entire fourth year starting last June [2006],” Dickau said. “I began as a contributor my sophomore year, was promoted several times and then became an editor. The Daily Bruin taught me how to work with people and also helped me understand the film industry.”
Additionally, Dickau worked as an academic advisor and counselor for UCLA’s student orientation program.
He was also an active member in student government. In 2007, Dickau was the director of an on-campus philanthropy organization, Dance Marathon, that raised more than $330,000 in 2007 to benefit HIV/AIDS charities.
This fall, Dickau is headed to Tanzania, Africa, to teach in rural schools and communities. He departs San Diego Sept. 12 and will work in Tanzania through late December.
“Hopefully I can make my mark on the world,” Dickau said. “I am honored and thrilled to be selected as one of only a few volunteers to represent UCLA and the U.S. in the fight against HIV/AIDS through a program called Students for International Change (SIC).
“I will live in homestays in rural villages outside of Arusha, Tanzania and teach in local communities about HIV/AIDS and sexual health.”
Dickau participated in Dance Marathon his freshman and sophomore years. He joined the organizing committee his junior year and became a board member as media director in his senior year.
“The 26-hour annual event helps raise awareness and funds for pediatric AIDS charities,” Dickau said. “I dedicated countless hours to AIDS activism, and I thought, why not take this a step further?”
At that point he applied and was accepted to SIC, where he has learned the subject matter and how to teach. He has studied Swahili, Tanzania’s national language.
“I think the biggest challenges will be assimilating myself to a culture so different from my own while trying to convince a country full of people that I actually belong there,” Dickau said. “There is an inherent stigma with an American coming into to an African country and spreading knowledge. But, SIC volunteers understand that we can help Tanzania become a more informed country.”
Every year millions of Africans are infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS, Dickau is quick to point out.
“Education is the key to prevention,” Dickau said. “The U.S. has the funding and knowledge to make a difference in the world. But sometimes we can’t depend on our government or greater entities. We have to take the initiative and harness our passion to make a difference.
“I want to help get the word out and prove that college students are in fact motivated enough to make a difference ” including those from their own neighborhood. Volunteers are required to fund-raise their entire program fees that total about $4,500 for the fall program.”
Dickau approves of the (RED) campaign led by rock ‘n’ roll singer Bono (U2), but Dickau’s involvement with HIV/AIDS activism began before he knew how involved famous people were with the cause.
“I almost stumbled upon the cause. It fell into my lap. Dance Marathon at UCLA was an energetic organization with an incredible event and I wanted to be part of it,” Dickau said. “And with Dance Marathon, we harness campus pride and expend it toward a cause greater than ourselves.”
“We prove that college students make a difference in the world. We can defy stereotypes and create new ones,” he continued. “The more time I dedicated to Dance Marathon, fighting against the pandemic through our event, the more and more I realize how important it is for us to work to educate the world around us. Education is our best weapon against the problems of the world. Dance Marathon has raised almost $1 million over the past six years.”
Dickau’s future creative aspirations are high.
“I have hopes to one day pursue a career in the growing socially aware facet of the film industry,” Dickau said. “But, before I plant my feet in Hollywood, I have decided to take my involvement in HIV/AIDS awareness and education a step further.
“Film is incredible because it brings together every art form from photography to movement to music and creates a beautiful piece of work. And, I truly believe that film can be used to create social change.”
He hopes to go on to become a documentary or narrative filmmaker to spread awareness and create change in the world.
“If one mind is altered because of my piece of art, I have succeeded,” Dickau added. “I want to write and direct because I believe I can share what I know with the world and help others share their stories as well.”
Dickau wrote a screenplay about HIV/AIDS called “Eshe na Matarajio” and won Honorable Mention in the Paramount KNOW-HIV AIDS screenplay contest in 2006. The screenplay followed a family from Africa in which the mother and child both were HIV positive and both passed away, and how their lives and deaths affected a young college student.
In addition, Dickau was the assistant editor on the event’s winning film called “Black Book,” written by Darren Guttenberg, another UCLA student. The film appeared on Showtime and MTV.
“I have also worked on dozens of student films at UCLA in a variety of capacities,” Dickau said. “UCLA has a nationally top-ranked film school in both graduate and undergraduate levels.
“My dream is to become a successful enough filmmaker to produce films that inspire change in social thought. These changes will inspire social activism. And in social activism lies the key to changing the world.”
Students for International Change can be found at www.sichange.org.