Extracurriculars and Experiences

Conversations to Remember is a non-profit organization based in New Jersey, aimed at bridging emotional gaps in Alzheimer and Dementia patients. This organization facilitates thousands of weekly, hour-long video calls between patients and small groups of college students to improve senior cognition and communication skills.

Through this organization, students build meaningful relationships with the seniors, providing entertainment and companionship through the loneliness of assisted living. 

As a volunteer, I've completed 20 weeks worth of video calls with seniors and other college students. After contributing one semester to being a student volunteer, I decided to intern for this organization, helping out in the outreach and recruitment of new college students interested in this virtual volunteering opportunity while advocating for Alzheimer and Dementia communities. This involves communicating with faculty and student organizations belonging to institutions across the nation through emails and educational seminars. 

I have a close relative who's currently struggling with Dementia, so this organization holds a special place in my heart. I've invested roughly 150+ hours as an intern and intend to continue doing so even after I graduate. 

Who We Play For is another non-profit organization that I've loved volunteering with over the years. WWPF provides easily accessible EKG heart screenings for K-12 students within Florida and even throughout the nation. 
 

Putting an emphasis on cardiovascular health in young children has become significant now more than ever, and this organization works to increase the awareness and prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death by promoting healthy habits and accessible healthcare.  

Student volunteers work as Electrocardiogram Technicians, collecting the vitals necessary for K-12 students to be cleared for after-school activities. Volunteers are also tasked with educating parents and children alike on the importance of regular heart screenings for health longevity. 
 

WWPF's themes of advocacy and cardiac attention align with my own, as someone with a history of PVC arrythmias from a young age. I've been a student volunteer for three semesters, and have accumulated roughly 50 service hours under this organization.

Over the Summer '24 semester, I was grateful enough to experience clinical shadowing as an abroad student in Madrid, Spain. 

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This program was three weeks long, and during this time I was able to spectate in on a variety of different specialties including Gynecology, Geriatrics, and Anesthesiology. Getting to compare the ways medicine is practiced in different parts of the world has helped me grasp what attributes I find to be the most influential characteristics as a healthcare professional. 

Of the most interesting procedures I saw during my rotations, getting to shadow an emergency C-section delivery was by far eye-opening. In the States, I know being able to witness the atmosphere for such a case may not have been possible, so being given the opportunity to do such so early into my medical education has definitely been something foundational in driving my passion for the field of women's health.

Following my program, I spent another month volunteering with the Atlantis Study Abroad company to recruit interested students who may be wanting to experience an opportunity similar to mine. This included creating promotional posts and answering questions about the program had by students or parents.

Being a part of UCF's American Medical Student Association has played a pivotal role in allowing me to step out of my comfort zone in interacting with peers who have similar aspirations to mine and finding ways to get involved with my community to stand out as an amazing pre-med student! 

During my first year as a member, I was able to find so many opportunities to help boost my clinical exposure. Whether it was partaking in volunteering events held by the organization, or event attending clinical workshops going over essential practices (e.g. vitals and suturing), this club is what helped me come out of my shell as an emerging pre-medical student. 

This year, I was grateful enough to have been selected as a Director of Media Relations. This directorship deals with boosting member engagement through a multitude of areas - such as, creating visuals and info-graphics for GBM's and upcoming events, and collecting content and photos of group members as a way to ensure a fun, collaborative environment for everyone involved. 

This upcoming May, I will be embarking on a one-week service trip through this organization to Argentina. During this trip, we will be setting up and supplying low-income communities with medical tents and clinics to promote healthcare accessibility for these families. 

Her Campus at UCF is an organization ran by college women providing a digital media platform where members can share content revolving around current events, advocacy and awareness, and evergreen material relevant to the female college lifestyle. 

As a writer, I like to publish articles based around healthcare related news, and breakthroughs while also shedding a light on social justice matters that I feel important to me. In the three semesters I've been a member, I've written 12 articles varying in material from the newest updates of space exploration, educational commentaries on politics and medicine, and addressing obstacles in a woman's world (especially in healthcare)
You can find my articles here.

In addition to writing article for our chapter's platform, I was also given the ability the assist in the grammatical editing of material submitted by other writes in our organization. I've always had a deep invested interest in writing, so I find this type of work to be therapeutic when taking a break from the other happenings in my life.

I love being surrounded by such a supportive group of ambitious women! 
 

​Dr. Erin Saitta's Chemistry Education Research Lab at the University of Central Florida focuses on enhancing chemistry education by investigating instructor beliefs and practices to promote more equitable, accessible, and effective teaching methods.

As a student researcher in this lab, my role involves actively contributing in data analysis for the projects that include developing training materials for graduate teaching assistants, exploring inclusive teaching strategies, and analyzing educational practices to support diverse learning needs

Considering my previous history in tutoring and natural instinct for instructional assistance, the inspiration vested in this lab's work align with values I feel are personifying to my character. This is what I feel made me a great fit for this team. 

Working under PhD Candidate, Kathleen Lugo, I've gained a proficient understanding and skillset in what it means to assess data in an analytical approach. Being on this research team has also equipped me with using educational frameworks and instruments to bridge existing gaps in accessible STEM academics.