Why did you join WST?
I joined WST because of the opportunities it offers for women in STEM and talented female students here at Tech. This includes networking opportunities with prominent female leaders, reimbursement for conferences, research funding, research awards, and much more! Being in a neuroengineering lab, I was particularly interested in the research opportunities that WST offered and am grateful to have received funding and research awards to further continue my interests at the intersection of engineering and medicine.
What is your favorite part about being in the WST Learning Community?
My favorite part about being in this community is being able to interact and learn from very impactful speakers and Georgia Tech faculty/staff on a small scale. Speakers from all facets including women in research, women in entrepreneurship, and alumni from industry were some of my favorites.
What advice would you give to students to make the most of WST?
My advice would be to take advantage of mentorship. As part of WST, students can reach out to faculty or get paired with a faculty mentor for the academic year. This is an excellent way of building a network and future collaboration opportunities.
What advice would you give to students on succeeding academically at Georgia Tech?
I would say that time management is extremely important. Everyone has their own way of managing time, but it is important that you find what works best for you. The start of every semester is the perfect time to explore your different ways of tackling homework, classes, and extracurricular activities depending on how your schedule looks that semester. Use Google Calendar or other tools to make a plan for each week and see how well you stick to it. These habits will make future semesters at Tech more manageable and enjoyable!
What advice would you give to students on acclimating socially to Georgia Tech?
There are more than 400 organizations at Georgia Tech, and joining extracurricular organizations is a great way to make friends and develop a network and community. It is important to find your niche and find organizations that allow you to develop academically, professionally, and personally. For me, being an ambassador for the College of Engineering has been one of the most enjoyable and rewarding experiences. As an ambassador, I manage outreach support to local elementary, middle, and high schools by facilitating hands-on learning activities and delivering large-scale presentations to K-12 audiences. I used to attend STEM camps and workshops like these as a kid, which drew me to pursuing these interests in college. Volunteer work and philanthropy have been a big part of my life even before Tech, and it's comforting to see how I can give back to the community that has given me so much. It has come full circle for me from attending these events as a kid to now overseeing them! If students have interests or goals like these, it is important to further cultivate them in college and make a great group of friends in the process.
What has been your favorite Georgia Tech experience?
Watching the solar eclipse on top of the Clough rooftop garden!