ABOUT ME
This online portfolio was made over the summer of 2018 when I was 18 years old. As my academic and career paths may change, I will not update this portfolio to let it reflect my growth.
The first thing you need to know about me is that I have a passion to help the less fortunate, no matter who it is or what it takes. My little sister, Maya, has Down syndrome, so it has been my life's mission to give back to those in need like so many have done for Maya. Throughout middle school and the beginning of high school, I wanted to become a physical or occupational therapist, but as I got older and explored several careers, I realized that I could do scientific research and impact communities on an extremely large scale.
With that idea in mind, I decided to attend Washington & Jefferson College because of its prestigious pre-med program. This past year, my freshman year, I declared my major as neuroscience and I started looking into internships or job opportunities that would give me experience as well as build my resume which could help me get into graduate school. My advisor, Dr. Leonard, suggested that I make my own opportunity considering I have access to Franklin Magellan funding through the school, which would give me the stipend necessary to support me through an unpaid internship.
This was it. I could literally go anywhere in the world and study anything I wanted to—an aspiring traveller and driven student’s dream. I looked into several labs throughout numerous countries and found most interest in the Regenerative Neuroscience Group in the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. The group looks into canine cognitive dysfunction (essentially doggy Alzheimer’s disease) in hopes of connecting what they find to human dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. As human Alzheimer’s disease is on the rise around the world, it is a critical subject that needs attention. Alas, I found a lab that I could help contribute to a community in need.
I put myself out there and emailed the head of the lab, Michael Valenzuela. He graciously entertained my inquiry and offered me a position as a visiting student researcher to help an honors student finish his lab work and analyze his data.
I take pride in the fact that I was able to make my dream a reality. I never would have guessed that at 18-years-old I would be spending my summer in Australia doing neuroscience research. It is so satisfying to see that all the hard work I put in during high school and my first year of college have paid off. Personal growth is the best reward I could ask for and I cannot wait to see what journeys develop from this one.