I chose Heidelberg because it immediately felt like a second home when I walked on campus. All of the students I walked past smiled and said hello and I really loved the student-professor relationships/bond.
I majored in Biology with hopes of pursuing Forensic Biology when I first came to Heidelberg. However, after taking Genetics with Dr. Kylee Spencer, I knew that Genetics was the field of study I wanted to pursue for my career!
A major challenge I encountered at Heidelberg was realizing that there is more to college than your grades. This was a hard concept for me to understand at first; however, by talking with my professors and setting aside more time for myself and friends on a daily basis, I was able to achieve a nice school and social life balance. You have to realize that your time at Heidelberg will go by very quickly and it is important you make memories with the people you are surrounded by!
Above all Heidelberg prepared me to enter the working world with a strong educational and cultural background as well as a desire to give back to my community no matter where I end up!
Outside of the classroom I was involved in World Student Union, TriBeta, Residence Life, Student Alumni Association, Zeta Theta Psi, Rho Eta Delta, PACE and Habitat for Humanity.
My favorite extracurricular activity was the International Dinner that World Student Union puts on each fall because it allowed me to meet people from all over the world as well as make our campus more culturally aware of the different students present on our campus!
One faculty or staff mentor or advisor who impacted my 'Berg experience is Dr. Kylee Spencer because she helped me find my passion and excitement for Genetics as well as offered me support throughout my entire career at Heidelberg. I cannot put into words how grateful I am for Dr. Spencer and how much she has impacted my experience here at Heidelberg!
My favorite Heidelberg memory is going to the Children's Research hospital in Memphis, Tennessee my freshman year spring break with 10 other peers I did not know. This trip introduced me to genetics, Dr. Spencer, and 10 of the most genuine people I have met on campus. I had an incredible experience learning more about the field of genetics, the medical profession as a whole, as well as hearing about all the other opportunities available to Heidelberg students that my fellow peers had taken advantage of or were involved in at the time.
My plans after graduation are to attend Case Western Reserve University and obtain my master’s degree in Genetic Counseling!