I ultimately want to be an educator in the field of chemistry, whether it be at the highschool or collegiate level. I have high expectations for myself as an educator because I know the value of experiencing top tier instruction from my experiences both at OSU and going back to my highschool career. I believe personal discovery is the most enriching part of learning. There is no better feeling as a student than to experience a ‘lightbulb’ moment after exerting immense effort towards content. it is hard to teach people to have a revelation like this because it usually happens when they are studying on their own. However, I am confident that I can create an environment as a teacher that will convince students to pursue these moments even when I am not right there teaching them. I feel I can do this because of my personal experiences as a current student. I fondly remember all of my science instructors both at OSU and my highschool for encouraging me to think on my own and find my own ‘Aha!’ moments. My teachers have made the classroom an exciting place for me, a place where I am fully engaged and always in wonder of how science can be so intricate, simple, and elegant all at the same time.

For my remaining two years as an undergraduate I would like to continue my rigorous coursework and maintain my academic standing in hopes of attending graduate school to obtain a masters and eventually a PhD in science education. I plan to continue my work in undergraduate research in the Alfonzo lab and to hopefully receive credits on future publications by the group and our collaborators. I also plan to continue my work as a teaching assistant in the chemistry department with hope of extending my role into both organic chemistry and organic chemistry laboratory along with my continued role in general chemistry. I plan to become more involved in service organizations as well. I have recently been inducted into Chimes junior class honorary and will work with fellow members to aid an organizational cause of our choosing in the coming year. Two organizations in particular that I feel strongly towards helping are Equitas Health and Huckleberry house. I have attended service events for both groups over the past two years and have become very drawn to the causes they represent. Huckleberry House in particular caught my attention with the welcoming environment they provide for their kids as well as the role of responsibility they give to them which helps them feel valued and respected. I would love to become a part-time volunteer at Huckleberry house and plan to reach out to their administration about potential needs.