About Myself

"Service Above Self"

I grew up in Pennsylvania and recently graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science degree in April 2011. I undertook a dual major in microbiology and history & philosophy of science, a certificate in conceptual foundations of medicine, and a minor in chemistry. I like to bicycle, play the drumset, play racquetball, and my main hobby is woodturning (check out my other website).

I was extremely fortunate to learn about the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship through a family friend that lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The neat concept behind this scholarship is that Rotarians and their family members are not eligible, so Ambassadorial Scholars are people who are initially unfamiliar with Rotary. However, these same students have remarkable opportunities to learn about this service organization and meaningfully contribute to the humanitarian goals of Rotary during their time abroad. After completing the application process in August 2010, I was selected to represent Rotary District 7300 of the Greater Pittsburgh Area; my sponsor is the Oakland Rotary Club.

During my year abroad, I will serve as an ambassador of goodwill to Rotary District 9600 on behalf of the United States primarily by interacting with Rotary and non-Rotary audiences through presentations, social events, and academic settings in Brisbane, Queensland. I will also be working on a research project that aims to determine the mechanism of action of a novel chemotherapeutic agent isolated from an Australian rainforest plant with the Drug Discovery Group at the University of Queensland and the Queensland Institute of Medical Research. Importantly, I will be helping my hosts, Rotary of Fortitude Valley, with service projects as well as volunteering my time in the community. I look forward to making lasting friendships along the way and traveling across Australia and hopefully New Zealand and Tasmania!

Shortly after returning from this extraordinary set of opportunities, I will start medical school at Penn State in August 2012 and make sure to share my experiences with local Rotary clubs and other interested groups.