About Me

I am a sophomore biology major and plan to minor in medical sociology and chemistry. I am studying along a pre-med track with a goal of attending medical school to become a pediatrician following the completion of my undergraduate degree. During high school biology, I discovered my passion for learning about body systems, physiological processes, cells, etc. which prompted my interest in pursuing a major in biology. Inspired by the wonderful impact my own pediatrician had on my life as well as poor experiences with other physicians during my adolescent years, I realized my career goals. 

Teamwork

I really enjoy working with others and getting to know new people. I am flexible and very open to new ideas, changing my practices, trying new approaches, etc. I am not upset or slowed down if those I am working with do not agree with an idea I share. 

My previous and current employments have helped me to realize the traits of a proficient team member. For instance, I have learned that an effective team member maintains consistent communication with everyone they are working with, is able to delegate their time and responsibilities so that their assigned tasks are completed on time, shares any thoughts, concerns, or questions during team meetings, and does not refrain from asking for help from other team members if becoming overwhelmed.  

My Experiences and Skills

Throughout high school, I was a gymnastics coach with Southern Indiana Gymnastics School (SIGS) and helped coach a girls' competitive gymnastics team. This was my first official job, and I developed many skills relating to being an effective employee such as learning how to communicate with my boss and coworkers, arriving early before my scheduled time to work, and informing my boss ahead of time about any future absences or schedule changes. Additionally, coaching a school-aged group of gymnasts helped me to become a better multitasker and planner since, as I was responsible for creating rotations, workout circuits, routines, etc. ahead of each practice. 

During my freshman year at IUPUI, I was a First-Year Science Apprentice with the Biology department and worked in Dr. Li's research lab at IUPUI. My apprenticeship allowed me to develop good laboratory practices, learn research techniques, understand the scientific method, and collaborate with other undergraduate students to generate genetic data. I also had the opportunity to learn about many other studies being performed at IUPUI.

I have been a volunteer with the American Lung Association in Kentucky (ALA) since middle school, and I am currently a member of their youth advisory board.  I have enjoyed volunteering at the ALA's fundraising events such as during their annual Breath of Fresh Air Gala, Fight for Air Stair Climb, and Lung Force Walk. I have also had the opportunity to participate in discussions with board members about the surge in e-cigarette usage among adolescents, distributed educational materials about asthma to youth athletic coaches, etc. My time with the ALA has enabled me to develop skills in public speaking and learn how to use my strong passion for improving the health of others to overcome my shyness/nervousness. 

I began my involvement with IUPUI's Dance Marathon (Jagathon) for Riley Hospital for Children during my freshman year and am currently the co-director of the Event Programming committee. I have greatly enjoyed helping plan fundraising events, volunteering at events, attending meetings with other directors, and engaging in my personal fundraising efforts for Riley. Being involved with Jagathon has helped me to develop better digital communication skills such as composing emails and social media posts for fundraising asks as well as enabled to become more comfortable talking in front of my classmates about Jagathon's mission. I plan to apply for a director position with Jagathon again during the upcoming academic year. 

From my previous and current volunteer and employment experiences, I have learned that I have a strong passion for working with children and I prefer a job where I can collaborate with others often. In addition, I have realized that assisting others and volunteer work are my greatest passions in life, and I want to pursue a career that is focused on this. By taking on more leadership positions this school year such as with Jagathon and the Honors Peer Mentor Program, I have learned that I typically prefer and am more comfortable in roles that are more team-player focused such as with my internship site through LHSI. However, taking on leadership roles while at IUPUI has helped me to step out of my comfort zone while also providing me better guidance about the work environment I would prefer following the completion of my education. Similarly, I have learned that I struggle to confidently speak in larger group settings. Although the experiences described above have allowed me to prove to myself that I am capable of speaking in front of groups, my public speaking skills are something I need to improve upon especially when talking to those in leadership positions, my classmates, etc.