Career goals It used to be focused strictly on improving the HIV care cascade to better address the outcomes of marginalized groups but with the pandemic I've become more interested in systems-wide thinking. I'm unsure what that will lead to at the moment but for now I'm interested in looking more closely at cities' role in health (especially funding/revenue streams and how that impacts urban planning & policing) and social/geographical epidemiology (how borders shape our understanding of social roles and impact health outcomes).

Hobbies Dungeons & Dragons, watching horror movies, listening to an ever-increasing backlog of podcasts

Notable academic challengeMy mom graduated college in Mexico so I ended up having to navigate the entire college process on my own. When I first went off to college, I got really overwhelmed and my mental health took a dive. I had been struggling with anxiety since high school and wasn't able to ignore it as easily while in college. It wasn't until I failed several courses that I realized I could withdraw from university and take a break. Having that time to reflect on my strengths & weaknesses, as well as build support systems, was really valuable and helped give me a solid foundation when I returned to school. While I still experienced challenges in academia, I was now willing to ask for additional help when I needed it.

Career goals Becoming a physician-scientist with a focus on immunotherapy

Hobbies Longboarding, watching football, cooking (but not baking), playing with my dog

Notable academic challengeDuring this past summer, I took Physics 123, hoping to finish out the Physics 12X series on a strong note. I thought that since I had done well in the previous classes of the series, I'd be able to do well in this class using the same study strategies. After taking the first midterm, I was shocked to see that I had scored a 62% on the exam. Although demoralizing at first, this became a wake-up call for me to adapt my study strategies. I started trying out new study techniques, going to my professor's office hours every week, and utilizing CLUE tutors to understand the material as thoroughly as I could. Physics 123 ended up being one of my most challenging classes at UW, but it was well worth it for what it taught me, both in and outside of the classroom.

Career goals Becoming a Certified Industrial Hygienist or conducting research on occupational hazards

Hobbies Playing basketball, juggling, painting, and watching too many cooking shows

Notable academic challengeThroughout high school and the first two years of college, I never considered myself "good at STEM classes." My major requires that I take a certain amount of Chemistry and Biology, and I was terrified. For my first exam in my Chem 120 class, I got 20 points below the average and I thought it just cemented that I would never succeed in any type of medical or scientific field. I didn't have a single friend in the class and I felt so alone and behind everyone else. I decided since I had nothing to lose, I would do the unthinkable, and actually do practice problems from the textbook every night. I studied nightly, even when the next test was weeks away. I also went to my TA's and professor's office hours for the first time in my college career and they would literally do every Lab Report problem with me step-by-step. I ended up a 3.4 for my final grade and now I have been admitted to a Masters of Science program here at UW for next fall. After realizing that I wasn't "bad" at STEM and that it just took a little more effort and resources, I found that I actually enjoy those classes the most.

Career goals To make a difference in the world, a leadership role for a company

Hobbies Reading, drinking bubble tea, playing League of Legends with friends, watching figure skating

Notable academic challengeGoing into college I honestly had no clue about what I wanted to do in the future. If you read my career goals up above, they are very vague because I am unsure about what is in store for me. Originally, I wanted to major in Economics and took a lot of Econ classes. However, I realized that Econ was not the best path for me and I did not find myself enjoying my classes. I switched majors fall quarter of my junior year to International Studies, and have found myself a lot happier with this new path. Switching majors junior year is very late, for many students are already in their majors by their sophomore year. But do not worry! It is definitely possible and I am on track to graduate. It is okay to switch majors and it is okay to not be in a major as soon as you would have hoped. Take time, explore new ideas, and find something that makes you happy.

Career goals I hope to work in State government one day and/or work on policies for the U.S. food system!

Hobbies I enjoy listening to music, long boarding, painting, going to new and exciting places, being outside, and finding new recipes to try!

Notable academic challengeI was interested in taking the Business major route when I got to UW, but I realized in my first year it was not for me. Once I found out about the Food Systems major, I was thrilled and automatically started pursuing that route instead. It was such a great decision for me to have made and I am thankful I found my true passion!

Career goals Becoming a Lawyer and working for non-profit organizations

Hobbies Dancing, cooking, hiking, binge watching shows and trying out new restaurants with my friends and family

Notable academic challengeDespite the fact that I have always wanted to do law, I never learned about it until I took LAW 100 in my first quarter at UW. I thought I was doing really well since I found the class to be super interesting. However, I only got 60% on my first Midterm and it was below the class average. I was devastated because of the fact that practicing law may not be for me. I decided to come to office hours with the mindset that I might be able to argue for my responses. The result was not as I expected, but I learned to accept my grade and learned how to do better on my final exam; perhaps not the materials, but the skill for answering multiple choice questions. During my final exam, I utilized the full three hours, used that newly learned skill and I earned 95% with only one question wrong. It was the happiest day of my entire freshman year and I was really proud of myself. This experience taught me to trust myself and never again let one bad grade determine my ability.

Career goals I am in the process of applying to law school where I hope to study constitutional and civil rights law. For there I hope to work for a nonprofit law firm to focus on ensuring equality and human rights for all.

Hobbies When I am not studying (which is all the time) I like to bake, play games with my family, go on bookstore dates with my partner (pre-covid), watch Parks and Rec, and do arts and crafts!

Notable academic challengeMy most notable academic challenge was during my first quarter of college when I failed 2 classes. These failures were not due to a lack of academic understanding but rather a result of lack of prioritizing myself and my health. Once I focused on my self care and trying out different academic paths I learned what worked for me and was able to get back on track!

Career goals Becoming a Pediatrician and Community Outreach Specialist improving equitable healthcare in underrepresented and minority communities.

Hobbies Cooking, exploring new food places, paddle-boarding in Lake Union/Greenlake, hiking

Notable academic challengeIn my first quarter of freshman year, I took Chemistry 142 to fulfill a Public Health-Global Health admission requirement. Chemistry was my strong subject, and I decided to utilize study strategies I developed in my Running Start Curriculum that previously correlated with successful results. Upon completing my first exam, I received a 65%, which was only slightly above the average. This score made me feel extremely discouraged because I was nervous that it would derail my aspirations of becoming a doctor. From this experience, I adopted a new study strategy that involved rewatching lectures on Panopto to catch any missed information, and inquired with instructors about confusing concepts. With these new strategies, I scored a 90% on my final and even finished the class with a 3.6 GPA. Although failure is inevitable to avoid, developing a positive mindset and understanding that the obstacles we overcome are necessary milestones is important in achieving personal and academic goals.