HONORS EXPERIENCES OVERVIEW
January 2022- August 2022
STUDENT ORIENTATION LEADER
August 2022- May 2023
UNIVERSITY HONORS PROGRAM MENTOR
August 2022- December 2022
THE GLOBAL OBESITY EPIDEMIC
August 2022- January 2022
PEER LEADER: MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE
January 2023- May 2023
COOP 2000: SELF REFLECTION
July 2023- May 2024
UNIVERSITY HONORS PROGRAM AMBASSADOR
January 2024- May 2024
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND MENTORING PROGRAM
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STUDENT ORIENTATION LEADER
ORIENTATION PREPARATION
The image to the right depicts my SOL siblings and I at a Nippert Stadium snowball fight. This was the first time I got to hang out with my coworkers outside of office hours and served as a precedent to our relationship during the summer.
Working as a Student Orientation Leader is a pre-approved honors experience that I began in the spring semester of 2021. When classes were in session, our job consisted of office work for about five hours a week training to become expert bearcats. In doing so, we were able to serve as the primary point of contact between new students and the University through our SOL email address. I learned about the various resources available to students, the processes and procedures for admission, and many fun facts about Cincinnati that I had never heard before.
SOL SUMMER
This image was taken with some of the new students I lead in a small group session and on a tour of campus. They are the next generation of changemakers, and the future of our university.
When the summer semester began in May we began training for the physical orientation days. I learned everything from how to project my voice to how to open doors without creating a distraction. This is important for when we take lead parent and student groups, take guests on tours of campus, and assist in various informational sessions. The biggest takeaway I gained from this experience is the professional skills such as time management, communication, and teamwork. I also collected an extensive network of faculty, staff and some of my new best friends.
UNIVERSITY HONORS PROGRAM MENTOR
Only my second semester into being a part of the UHP I had the privilege of mentoring a group of six first year honors students. Throughout the semester we would meet as a group and catch up on all things that are happening in their lives. This not only included their academics, but also their social involvements, and mental/physical health. By using my previous experience with first year students as a SOL and Peer Leader, I was able to answer all of the questions they had and advise them on how they should proceed. As the semester advanced, we got even closer, and I now consider each of them a friend I could hang out with in my free time.
Because I came into the honors program my second semester of college, I didn't get the chance to have a mentor by my side helping me through my first year. Becoming that shoulder for these students to lean on showed me the importance of collaboration and comradery. I am extremely proud of my students because of how much they have developed and matured over the past few months, and I am happy to play a role in their experience as new college students.
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I chose this picture because it was taken the first day my students and I met. Even though we barely knew each other, Group 3 clicked instantly.
ON-CAMPUS COOP:
PEER LEADER
A Peer Leader (PL) is a successful student at the University of Cincinnati responsible for guiding first-year students through their first year of college in a Learning Community (LC). With the help of my own personal PL I had an extremely successful and fulfilling freshman year. When I heard the position was opening, she gave me the motivation to apply to become the next role model for the incoming class of Medical Laboratory Science students.
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There are many responsibilities of a PL that are essential to the success of a Learning Community. My class meets twice a week for about an hour. One the first day, we go over topics on the first-year experience (FYE) such as diversity, equity, and inclusion or alcohol education. The next class we review content for their CHEM1040/1041 class. It is the PL’s responsibility to create lesson plans, hold formal office hours, and attend weekly meetings with both the FYE and Content Review Leader coordinators. We must also maintain exceptional communication with the students and faculty.
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As I continue to work as the PL into the Spring 2023 semester, there are many skills I have learned that I can bring with me into the future. Being a PL has exposed me to so many diverse backgrounds of students. Personally, family serves a major role in my life. However, I know some students have trouble connecting with their relatives. As their PL, students have relied on me when they are struggling with something difficult, and it makes me proud that they’re allowed me into their lives as not just an instructor but also a friend.
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I chose this picture because it shows all of my students in the typical classroom setting that we usually sit at. I think that the easiest and most effective way to reach first year students is to sit at their level and try to be as engaged with them as possible. Additionally, this picture was taken when we created out group chat, and I love seeing the different looks on their faces as they react to their first day of college: excited, angst, unpreparedness, boredom, all emotions that come with the territory.
GLOBAL OBESITY EPIDEMIC: HONORS SEMINAR
BIAS LESSONS
One of the major topics discussed during class were types of bias. We talked about how to identify bias both within articles and in our daily life. This includes legal, professional, social, and subconscious biases. A major assignment in the seminar was to present a project about societal bias against obesity.
PHYSIOLOGY LECTURES
The most fascinating aspect of the course was discussions on the physiology of sugar metabolisms. We learned how different sugars are processes and why some people are more susceptible to obesity than others because of their genetics, lifestyle, or lack of education. Identifying the cause of obesity will help us eventually understand the cure for it.
ETHICAL DEBATES
Throughout the entire course, we were building up to how the world could stop the global obesity epidemic. Many thoughts were generated, but it was difficult to pitch ideas that made everyone happy. Is it acceptable to ban soda for the greater good? How do we pay for it? Will our agriculture be effected?
SENSITIVITY TRAINING
When talking about sensitive topics such as obesity in such a diverse class, the course helped me identify some of my own personal prejudices. Self-awareness is one of the first, and most important, steps in rectifying any errors in judgement that may negatively affect myself of those around me. I can now apply this in other situations when I interact with those that are different than me.
APPLICATION
A lot of the topics we talked about in class I started to apply to my daily life. For example, I used to think sweetener was better for you than sugar because it has less calories. Turns out, sweetened foods/drinks increase your sweetness tolerance which ultimately increase your sugar cravings. Consequently, I stopped using sweetener as part of my everyday life.
COOKIE SHOWDOWN
I chose to display part of our final project to eliminate the global obesity epidemic. My group decided to put government regulations on added sugars. I took it upon myself to create new cookie recipes with less added sugars to convince the class that they would still taste amazing. It took a lot of trial and error, but it was a lot of fun and they really hit the spot during finals week.
COOP 2000
COOP 2000 is an extension of my on-campus co-op as a Peer Leader for the UC Learning Commons. The goal is to reflect on the experience on a deeper level and learn how to get the most out of the job.
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This online course sections us into small groups, allowing us to communicate more clearly. We often discuss goal setting, networking within the workplace, and effective interactions with supervisors. The goal is to practice how to continue finding new ways to challenge ourselves so we can grow as individuals.
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Over the course of the last few months, one of the most important things I learned was the importance of good communication with your manager. He or she understands the quality of your work with an objective point of view generally wanting each employee in the company to succeed. Good communication is a highway for constructive criticism allowing better work performance.
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One of the final assignments for COOP 2000 was to submit a final resume we can use the next time we're looking for a job. This motivated me to find an appropriate template and wording to describe my experiences at UC. Because of the success of my resume and constructive criticism, I was just offered a position with the UC Office of the President as a Student Associate. This job will force me out of my comfort zone and set me up for success post-graduation.
University Honors Program
Ambassadors
University Honors Ambassadors have the responsibility of being role models for honors students, reflecting the core values of the honors program, and preparing the next generation of honors students with information to be successful. I joined UHP Ambassadors because it is a highly regarded program that allows me to utilize my leadership skills, grow my network, and serve as a learning experience. Throughout my time in the program, I participated in open houses for prospective students, showcased my honors portfolio in the Gateway to Honors introductory course, and participated in various honors recruiting events.
Although the experience was a privilege to be a part of, I will not be continuing in the program in my 4th year of school. From being active in the UHP for so long, I no longer get anything new out of the experience, nor does my passion shine through as much as it did in the beginning. I have slowly begun to realize that I can't do everything at once. If I want to be really good at something I need to let go of other commitments to allow myself to work towards my true goals. I plan to use the skills I have developed to focus on putting my best foot forward in other leadership positions on campus that expose me to new opportunities for growth.
Above is an image of the Ambassadors during the beginning of the semester Retreat. That day, I got to meet the other students in my cohort and the professional staff that work in the UHP. I chose this image because it shows the amazing UHP staff I worked with this semester and the friends I will always have around in case I need anything.
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
MENTORING PROGRAM
Going into my third year, I had no intention of working in research. However, as I was reading about the list of RaMP laboratories and their respective projects one in particular caught my eye. An acceptance into the Lewkowich Laboratory was an offer I couldn’t pass up. I completed the Biomedical Research and Mentorship Program in the Immunobiology Department at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in spring 2024.
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Under the mentorship of Dr. Jaclyn McAlees, my role in our lab focused on understanding the physiological mechanisms of allergic asthma. Specific experiments in our lab manipulate allergen exposure, BMI, antibiotic exposure, and cellular signals to understand and treat asthma more effectively. With allergens, we can manipulate the mode of exposure and parental phenotype. Additionally, mice with high-fat diets have been analyzed and show a greater risk for asthma, particularly females. Our lab also uses chemicals and antibiotics to disrupt the microbiome to see if it impacts our immune system and ultimately our likelihood of developing asthma. Finally, understanding the signaling pathway can help us map the cascade and find potential targets for drug therapies.
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At the end of the semester, I had the opportunity to present the research of our lab at the University of Cincinnati Undergraduate Scholarly Showcase. This was an 8-minute podium presentation where I presented to my peers as well as a panel of reviewers who asked me questions and gave direct feedback on the outcome of our projects and my presentation. The showcase was a hit, and I ended up receiving the Excellence in Research Communication Award for my project. This was a very educational experience that forced me to break down the importance of asthma research and communicate it to others in terms people outside the medical field would understand. I received so much support from those in my lab and am very appreciative of all of the event staff who made it possible. My presentation is now published in the 2024 Proceedings of the Showcase.
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Below is an image of one of our mouse models treated with dermal exposure to either a saline control patch or a house dust mite patch. Over the next couple of weeks, the trans- epidermal water loss of the mouse will be measured each day. This is indicative of the development of an allergic response and can show implications for the susceptibility of developing allergic asthma. I chose this image because I think the mice are adorable and it is a good visualization for what we do each day. Although it looks like their arms are trapped in the bandage, I assure you the mice are checked daily for proper safety and motility both by our laboratory and by Vet Services at the hospital.
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Participating in this program allowed me to fuel my passion for immunology and learn more about my own asthma diagnosis. I now have a greater appreciation for knowledge because of my first-hand experience working on research projects. These often take weeks to complete and require patience, organization, and dedication to the field. Although I enjoyed working in research, I plan on directing my career focus back to patient care.
