About Me
I am one of the first in my family to go to college and the first to go for a doctorate. My father went into the army after he had me at 17, so he never went to college and my mother never finished her college education because she had me. My mother left when I was 13 and my father got incarcerated when I was a baby and got out when I was 9. Now, they both have new lives and families, my mother still in Reno and my father in California. I’ve always been motivated to not follow in my family’s footsteps and work as hard as I can to be successful. I do my best by balancing school, work, co-coaching 7th-grade volleyball at Saint Albert's the Great Catholic School with my best friend, Hannah, and volunteering at the Humane Society and the SPCA. I got to graduate from McQueen High School and earn an Honors Diploma, it’s not much yet, but it’s a step towards graduating with honors in college.
Why STEM?
I want to continue school and become a Veterinarian because I have had my dog since I was very little, and she has been the only thing constant through losing both of my parents and is my sense of stability. My dog, Mia, is my support system and I want to help treat and keep other’s “support systems” healthy.
My Career Goals
I hope to become a Wildlife and Small Animal Veterinary Surgeon. I plan on majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and/or double majoring in Wildlife Ecology, hopefully, cum laude(but I’m only a freshman).
My Advice
One thing that I would advise others hoping to go into a STEM profession is to stay motivated, for me, it is a lot easier to volunteer and know I can make a bigger difference once I become a Vet. Another thing is to always seek help if you need it, tutoring and talking to teachers helped me a lot with understanding content, especially when students don’t get one on one time during class time. Lastly, having the confidence to know you can reach your goal, hard work and persistence should follow.
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