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Before entering IU Indianapolis as a biology major, I was just a senior from South Bend stepping into something entirely new. Moving to Indianapolis brought excitement and opportunity. It also meant learning how to adapt, manage my time, adjust to a new environment, and figuring out who I was becoming. As a freshman, I didn’t realize how much growth was ahead of me.
The Honors College played a major role in that growth. It pushed me to explore subjects more deeply, challenge my abilities, and reflect intentionally on my development. One of the first ways I did this was through my freshman HON‑200 I Am and I want to become statement, where I tried to define myself at the very beginning of my college journey.
Now, as a senior in 2026, revisiting these statements and writing new statements felt meaningful. It shows how my leadership roles, academic experiences, and personal challenges have shaped me over time. Comparing the two reveals not just how much I’ve learned, but how I’ve grown into someone more confident, capable, and aligned with my future as a physician assistant.
Preparing to row in the 2024 regatta with other the Asian Student Union (ASU) board members.
PRIOR I AM STATEMENT (2022)
NEW I AM STATEMENT (2026)
I am a family and friend oriented individual that is surrounded by plants and cats. I am ambitious and goal oriented that will do anything to achieve something I want. I value being self-sufficient but at the same time love working with other people.
I am a future Physician Assistant that is family and friend orientated. I am passionate about different perspectives and their effect on patient care. I am a Honors student at IU Indianapolis who has experience within chemical research, hospice care, as well as patient care within the hospital.
PRIOR I WANT TO BECOME STATEMENT
NEW I WANT TO BECOME STATEMENT
I want to become a physician associate that is compassionate about their career. I hope to work alongside a gastroenterologist, as the connection between the gut and the brain has always fascinated me. I want to be compassionate and understanding to my patients. In my future, I want to be surrounded by like-minded individuals that have the similar goals to me. Being around people that share similar goals as me allows me push myself, and is something that I learned through my college experience as an Honor’s College student.
I hope to be ambitious through my last couple years of school. I want to learn different perspectives that may challenge or add onto my own view on the world. I hope to pursue opportunities that are pushed my way, either internship opportunities or getting out into my community by volunteering.
Even though I will be continuting with my career goals, I will not forget about some of the most important people in my life who aided me. Specifically, my friends, family, and school faculty members. These are some of the things that I value the most and will be there for me during times that I need them most. Through all my future ideas, I want to continue to develop my goals from my past to grow into a person that is ever-growing. I hope to be open-minded not just stuck on one fixed idea of myself, but open to other plans that could come my way.
I want to become a Physician Assistant that treats patients holistically and not just for their conditions. I want to continue to develop my skills through my experiences to make decisions that provide beneficial to my future patients. I plan on to continue to be an active hospice volunteer as I prepare for my future endeavors.
Above is from my study abroad in the Dominican Republic during the Spring of 2025. Here we were going over vital signs.
Reflection on H200
When I was in H200, I was still trying to navigate my classes and being in a new city. Furthermore, being pretty new to area I still had a lot to learn. During my first semesters I accepted a position on the APIDA dinner board and was overwhelmed with the responsibilities of planning a event with other board members. This time on the board allowed me to explore the wide range of student organizations that enriches campus life.
Since I was still a freshman, I still was worried about getting more patient care hours and figuring out what I wanted to with my minor. Finding a balance between extracurriculars and classes was something I was still developing. In addition, to my major courses I had extra time in my schedule, which enabled me to add a minor in Medical Humanities and Health Studies after learning about the program.
Journey Map 🎯
INTRODUCTION:
As a first‑year student in HON‑H200 (2023), I had the chance to meet other Honors students and reflect on who I might become. I spent time thinking about my interests, the goals I hoped to reach, and the kind of college experience I wanted to build. One of the major projects in this course was creating a journey map, a visual timeline of where I saw myself going over the next few years.
As a senior, revisiting that original journey map and creating a new one has been meaningful. Comparing the two shows how much I’ve grown; How some goals stayed steady to how others shifted, and new opportunities shaped my path in ways I couldn’t have predicted. This reflection helps me see the progress I’ve made, the challenges I’ve overcome, and the direction I’m moving toward as I prepare for my future as a physician assistant.
Previous Journey Map
New Journey Map
BEFORE
I was still deciding the career path I wanted to choose
I was eager to find new opportunities
I wanted to make the most out of my undergrad
NOW
I solidified my post grad-plans for PA
I am still driven to find new opportunities and challenge myself
A leader to student organizations and academic mentoring
Reflection
In my old journey map, I was still unsure which graduate path I wanted to pursue after college. As I moved through my undergraduate years, attending pre‑PA student organization events and learning the differences between various graduate programs, I began to recognize what resonated with me and what didn’t.
Gradually, I noticed myself leaning toward the Physician Assistant route. That shift deepened once I started working in the hospital. Compared to my experience in assisted living facilities, the hospital exposed me to a wider range of healthcare professionals. I had the chance to shadow a physician assistant and observe their day‑to‑day responsibilities, which helped me see how naturally the PA profession aligned with my goals.
In my new journey map, I can see how my path has expanded beyond clinical exposure alone. As I became more involved in research, I discovered a different dimension of healthcare outside of clinical care. This area was interesting, allowing me to see new medications for patients might be synthesized.
At the same time these experiences didn’t pull me away from the PA route; instead, it strengthened my sense of purpose. It showed me that I valued both hands‑on patient interaction and the deeper understanding that comes from engaging with the science behind certain medical decisions. My new journey map reflects a more confident direction that is shaped by my changing experiences.
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