Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences; chemistry and psychology major with concentration in social psychology
How does it feel to be an Illinois alum? It feels both exciting and really scary! All of my hard work in school has finally brought me to my goal, but the real world will be way different. I'm a bit nervous but feel confident in my abilities. I know that I'll be okay, and I'm ready to see what my future holds.
Major highlight as a student? One of my favorite parts about being a student here is being dragged by your friends to random events on campus. I've been to improv shows, a cappella concerts, Holi celebrations, movies on the quad, trivia nights, karaoke, and so much more! Those things are always a blast and will forever be some of my favorite memories.
Future plans? I plan to become a physician assistant in the future, so right around graduation is when I'll be applying for graduate programs. I will be taking a gap year, so during that time I will be working as a patient care technician at my local hospital.
Activities and organizations? Two organizations that I have been with all four years are Circle K International and CHAARG. CKI is associated with Kiwanis, and is a club focused on volunteering and leadership opportunities. CHAARG is a women's workout group that works to create a fun and judgement-free community for women to work out and build friendships.
Both of these organizations have been integral to my college experience, and I have gotten so many memories and connections out them. CKI was important for giving me perspective and allowed me to talk to and work with people that I otherwise never would have met. CHAARG was a perfect outlet to destress and forget about my worries for a few hours a week. Both of these were really important to my education. The different perspectives allowed me to bring new ideas to my classwork, and destressing through exercise allowed me to come back to my work with a fresh mind and lots of energy.
Who had a profound influence on you as an undergraduate? The professor of my Social Cognition class, Dr. Benedek Kurdi, had a very big influence on me. I really admired his approach to the class. He would discuss the different theories that people have put forward, and give evidence in favor and against these theories, but he would let us come to our own conclusions rather than saying that anything was "right" or "wrong". I will carry this idea with me throughout my life, and make sure to consider all sides of various issues rather than give a knee-jerk reaction of "correct" or "incorrect".