Hey everyone, welcome to my Interdisciplinary Honors Portfolio! My Honors Portfolio outlines my experiences during my time at the University of Washington, both the good and the bad. Here, I’ll explore, reflect on, and share pieces of my biology courses, my Honors courses, events, football games, trips, and a myriad of extracurricular activities that I hold close to my heart.

​

One of the largest most overarching themes of my time at UW and in the Honors Program has been being open to exploration and new ideas. While I structured my portfolio chronologically, with bits and pieces of every quarter displayed throughout, this theme meant the most to me as I reflected each quarter. Throughout my time at UW, and in my portfolio, I walk through my involvement in student leadership. Working as an Orientation Leader, and then later in a supervisory role as an Orientation Coordinator, entirely transformed my take on leadership, community, and inclusion. Other teaching positions such as my time spent as a General Chemistry Peer Facilitator, Honors Peer Educator, and BIOL355 Peer Facilitator taught me to be flexible, view academics from different angles, and to delve deeper into science material.

​

Following my commitment to being open to exploration, my academic journey through Interdisciplinary Honors, the pre-medical pathway, and my Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology degree exemplify how I have actively searched to learn as much as I could these past four years. Coming in to the Honors, I could not wait for the chance to take classes outside of my major and dive into subjects like political science, English, linguistics, and more. The freedom to take classes that piqued my interest, in addition to the amazing Honors community, helped make Honors the fantastic experience it has been for me. I mean, who thought I’d get to take a class called “Women in Greek and Roman Antiquity” in college? Honors 394, taught by Classics Professor Dr. Connors, became my first and favorite class in my entire Honors experience.

​

Lastly, an important part of my portfolio and my journey at UW is my involvement in activities that weren’t academic in nature. Going into college, I knew that I wanted to take time to explore what I loved and felt passionate about. For me, that meant joining the Husky Marching Band as a trumpet player (go dawgs!!!) and becoming involved in UW’s Healthcare Alternative Spring Break program.  

​

Looking forward, I’m excited to graduate in June and continue working at a COVID-19 testing site and mass vaccination center. Using my Biology (Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental) degree, I can’t wait to get the chance to engage in research for the first time post-graduation. Finally, I’m looking forward to using my gap year to get much-needed rest, a break from school, and prepare to apply to medical school. Ultimately, no matter where I go in the future, I hope to carry an openness to exploration with me through my career and personal life, just as I did throughout my time in Honors and at UW.