Curiosity has been thought of as both a blessing and a curse. It happens that I have an abundance of it. There is no mediation when it comes to my curiosity. I have a visceral need to understand and comprehend everything down to the beginnings of the earth. When one has a surplus of questions about everything down to its roots, what better field to enter than science? Therefore, I have decided to pursue an Associate in Science. To quench my thirst for knowledge, research is a necessity. This led me to conduct research with Dr. Easley on NJCAA athletes. As a dual-enrollment student, this was an opportunity I never dreamed of acquiring. My desire to be involved with research, along with my love of nutrition and body composition, easily made this project one of the most insightful and enjoyable.
My time at USC-L was nothing short of eventful. I always engaged myself in any activities that piqued my interest, all while trying to maintain a 4.0 GPA. My curiosity and determination drove me to become the appointed student leader of the Research Club, Vice President of the Chemistry Club, a full-time student, a part-time athlete, and complete GLD. I initially became a member of the Research Club because of my Anatomy and Physiology professor, Dr. Elizabeth Easley. She was my main supporter and has been right by my side since my first day in her class. She was also the professor who told me that I should look into GLD. Being that I was sixteen at the time, we immediately thought I wouldn’t be able to do research, so she offered to make me the appointed student leader of the Research Club and to complete my pathway in Professional and Civic Engagement. This was only a few years after the COVID-19 pandemic, so we had essentially nothing to work with. We had to work together to overcome much adversity in scheduling meetings, encouraging people to participate, and keeping records, especially since it was just myself, Dr. Easley, and Dr. Sellhorst. Although at times we struggled, we were able to support each other and become more prominent on campus. Having such loving mentors taught me to lean on others for help and keep pushing even when it seemed pointless. In addition, as a supplement to my learning in the Research Club, I was also in the Chemistry Club. We had monthly meetings to invite guest speakers to talk about their careers within the science field which allowed me to have a broader view of the world. In my last semester, I was nominated for Vice President and further improved my collaborative skills by engaging with faculty sponsors and fellow members.
Since I was old enough to walk, I have always been fond of sports. My parents would run me around to all of my sports practices and I could never have just one. As I got older, I realized that I have an extremely competitive nature. I always wanted to do whatever it took to come out on top. My desire to be “the best” made me curious as to what exactly leads to becoming an elite athlete. I became very interested in the human body, nutrition, and athletic performance. This led me to take Anatomy and Physiology with Dr. Easley which, with much intermission and side quests, resulted in me becoming her research assistant. We conducted research on female NJCAA athletes with my interest area being body composition. We collected measurements such as height, weight, handgrip strength, circumferences, and body composotion. We had the athletes coming in during the pre-season, mid-season, and off-season to observe differences in sedentary time and body composition during those different periods. Once the data was collected, we had to input the data into multiple different softwares to keep records, calculate values, and determine body composition values. We spent many hours through this process as we had many limitations when it came to getting the athletes in the door, organizing when we could come in, and ways to get the athletes to come back. Being that the IRB requires the participants to be in the study voluntarily, we had to ensure that no one was being coerced and were only allowed to provide incentives. We also had a small team of researchers, so lining up availablity with the athletes posed as a challenge at times. Through this process, I had to work with people I didn’t know, and in groups with my fellow researchers. I was able to become better with collaboration, patience, comfortability, and even confidence.
The most important part of my journey was my peers and professors. They were my within-the-classroom experiences. My class sizes ranged from four to twenty, so in every setting I was able to develop connections. Those connections were the foundation of my time at USC-L as I was presented with multiple beyond-the-classroom experiences, which I’ve listed above, and able to enjoy myself even with my busy schedule. I was given a space to feel comfortable with making mistakes and expressing ideas. I was supported from all angles by my professors and my peers, helping me to succeed. My professors always made sure I had my needed resources and my classmates created the balance between social and educational life. Although we often discuss equilibrium and its applications in chemistry, I found its value and was able to create it in my own life.
My portfolio is centered around thriving. My first insight, “Regulation for Equity,” hones in on the administrative aspect of research and ensuring no one is being taken advantage of so that they can thrive happily without threat to their safety. This insight acts as a flood light of the overarching research epxerience. “Adapt and Conquer” in turn puts the focus on the researchers and participants as individuals. If one is rigid with how they conduct themselves, how will they thrive in spontaneous conflicts that arise? This acts as more of a stage spotlight as I dive into personal interactions and individual studies. My leadership section aims to develop a solution for “making nutrition accessible.” For those of lower socioeconomic status, they often aren’t given the opportunity to have the proper resources, so I devised a plan to help them suceed in their lowly resourced area. My portfolio exemplifies how we all as people can’t only live, but be able to reshape ourselves and understand rules put in place that allow us to be able to thrive.
Following my graduation from USC-L, I plan to continue my education and obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry while applying my newfound knowledge acquired throughout this journey. I will then go on to obtain my Ph.D. in Pharmacology and an MD in general medicine. Knowing that my curiosity may lead me elsewhere, I am not tying myself down to that path, but allowing a rope to hang loosely about my waist reminding me of my intentions. As for right now, however, I wish to eventually move into a hospital system, developing new and effective medications with natural substances.