Directory

Minors and certificates

• Neuroscience

Hometown

• Strongsville, Ohio

What do you like most about your major?

I like the challenge of taking difficult classes and then being satisfied when I learn and understand the material. There are also a variety of career options and post-graduate opportunities such as physician's assistant school, med school, etc.

What do you love most about UD?

An education through the University of Dayton’s Honors Program not only nurtures my passion to learn, but also fosters my desire to pursue a career in the medical field. I chose the University of Dayton because I believe it prepares me for success in medicine and in life. UD’s mission, “... committed to educating the whole person and linking learning and scholarship with leadership and service” aligns perfectly with my purpose in life, to serve others for the common good. I know I made the right decision to attend the University of Dayton because of its emphasis on empowerment through leadership and experiential learning. At the University of Dayton, I was able to compete at the Atlantic 10 Rowing Championships in a varsity boat, volunteer regularly at Miami Valley Hospital, spend my summers researching microbiology funded by the Department of Defense and represent SAAC at the A10 conference in Washington, D.C. I would never have experienced these unique opportunities, and many more, at another university. I will never forget the first time I walked into office hours and my professor knew my face and name from their lecture. The faculty and staff at the University of Dayton truly care about each student’s well-being and success. UD gives me the opportunity to be of service to the community and a leader in fostering the spirit-filled environment that makes this institution all it is. I am confident Dayton will prepare me for success because of the values it instills such as encouraging individuality. When I decided to attend the University of Dayton, I unknowingly became part of the Flyer community, which pushes me to imagine so many possibilities for my future. I am blessed to forever be a UD Flyer.

Have you ever participated in faculty-mentored research? If so, what did you learn from that experience?

Over the summer of 2022, I performed research with Dr. Justin Biffinger at the University of Dayton. I was offered the Integrative Science and Engineering (ISE) Summer Collaborative Research Project (CoRPs) fellowship and stayed on campus at UD to conduct research full time for the summer. I continued this research in the summer of 2023 participating in the Berry Summer Thesis Institute (BSTI) program. This research was conducted for the Department of Defense, and my job was to isolate, characterize and identify secreted hydrolases from the fungi. My research project entailed culturing an environmental strain of Aureobasidium to understand the organism’s fundamental chemical and biochemical interactions with polymer coatings. I had no prior experience culturing BSL-1 organisms, knowing the proteomic methods or terminology, nor fully understanding the material properties of the polymer coatings I was going to work on. I worked diligently to learn these techniques, showing I can be thrown into new environments and learn to adapt. The research will be published in a scientific journal, and I will complete a thesis on the same topic.

Favorite class at UD and why?

My favorite class at UD is one I am currently taking, MED 220. The Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) through MED 220 allows me to conduct bedside interventions with a high level of responsibility with the elderly population through Miami Valley Hospital. One initiative of the program is to prevent delirium in elderly patients.

What piece of your academic journey has most prepared you to begin a career after graduation?

University of Dayton Emergency Medical Services has most prepared me to begin a career after graduation. After becoming part of the 2022 class of UD EMS, I took a 130-hour course to become a National and State-certified EMT. The class and training includes ride-alongs with other EMS departments and shadowing at local hospitals, in addition to hands-on skills labs. I took the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians licensing exam and upon passing, became an official member of the organization. I now work with Squad 1 members to care for the community at UD on weekly shifts, day shifts and overnights. 

What clubs/organizations are you involved in at UD?

• EMS 
• Varsity Rowing 
• SAAC 
• BSTI
•  ISE CoRPs

Is there anything else about your UD experience you think prospective students and their families should know?

I am a rowing instructor for adult athletes in the neurodiverse community at Colin's Lodge in Dayton. I encourage health and wellness, while also fostering independence in the athletes through a socially enriching and physically challenging program. The community at Colin's Lodge has imprinted my heart in more ways than one. I get so much joy every time I interact with the athletes. I love to row, and sharing my love of the sport is also very rewarding for me. My time coaching rowing at Colin’s Lodge has impacted me significantly over the past three years, and my perspective is forever changed by the experience. It is important to me that I serve adults with cognitive differences and show them the same love and affection that many pediatric and young adults with neurological disabilities experience. UD prospective students and families should know how involved students are with the surrounding community and how strongly service is encouraged with the people of Dayton.