I am a first-generation college student, so I was really nervous my first year of two of college, but I made it through while holding a job the entire time. I have always been a committed person that would dedicate my time and effort for a goal that I wanted to achieve. Due to this I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Environmental Health Science at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a GPA of 3.48.

Upon entry into college, like many students, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to work in the biology field, but I was unsure which aspect would be the most applicable to my capabilities and skill set. Biology covers a diverse amount of content, and there are various facets of this subject that I find compelling. After graduation, I wanted to continue down the path of enlightenment in terms of this extensive subject, until I could figure out what path I would thrive in. Due to this I decided to continue my education and enter into the 4+ year PhD program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

During my first semester of graduate school, I was offered a fellowship at Arkansas EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research), which is a division of the National Science Foundation. I worked there for a year and a half until my contract was up, as the Assistant to the Director of Education, Outreach, and Diversity. Acquiring this fellowship was an privilege and an honor. I obtained beneficial experience through this position and finally found my niche. I assisted in creating articles and newsletters that were published and can be viewed by the general public on their website (the links can be found in my curriculum vitae and resume). One of my favorite job responsibilities was to assist in designing the newsletters and editing the pictures. I adore using photo editing software to make clean beautiful vibrant pictures.

One task of my position was to interview Scientist associated with our program and create social media posts and other written content for them and about their work. I had write the articles in a manner that could be understood by the general public. I would find ways to make the written information relatable, so it could be easily understood. Writer and artist Khalil Gibran states in his poem On Teaching found in his book entitled The Prophet,"The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind"(Khalil Gibran 1923). I understand that individuals think differently, therefore I understand the importance of targeting your audience as the aforementioned poem insinuates.

Another aspect of my position was to write three short pieces a year to demonstrate the progress of our organization, to the National Science Foundation. I also helped develop educational curriculum for some of the workshops that we hosted. For example, I assisted in obtaining the grant and facilitating the movement of the GREEN Mobile, which taught students about solar energy. When my contract ended I began a graduate teaching assistantship at the college I was attending.

At this point, I have a 3.84 GPA for my graduate courses and will graduate with honors. I have taken my candidacy exams transitioning from a PhD student to a PhD candidate. Unfortunately I went to graduate school for 4 years but  I did not get my PhD I did get my Master's of Arts in Applied Bioscience. I volunteered my time in the name of science in many different ways. For example I am the President and One of the founders of the Arkansas division of the 500 Women Scientist organization. This organization is in over 100 countries and is dedicated to promoting diversity, equality and opportunity to all scientists.  I was one of the Student Vice Presidents of Phi Kappa Phi honor society where I go to regular meetings, help provide a student perspective on issues. I  helped with the induction ceremony for three years for the Honor Society. I have also helped our biology program by attending events representing our department such as the Fribourgh dinner at the Chenal Country club. I am a promoter of science and an advocate for a stronger role of science in society. This is one of the reasons that I would like to be involved in designing and distributing content to the masses in an attempt to educate and provide information about various topics.