In our alumni spotlight series, learn about Harvard graduates' most meaningful experiences from college, and how Harvard impacted their professional and personal paths after graduation.
Hometown & Current City: Wichendon, Massachusetts; Bethesda, Maryland
House Affiliation: Dunster
Concentration and Secondary Field: Neuroscience w/ Secondary in Global Health and Health Policy
Current Job Title/Company or organization: Postbaccalaureate Fellow at the National Integrated Health Associates (NIHA)
What was your professional path after college? After college I began a post baccalaureate research fellowship at the NIH studying a viral brain disease called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. I am currently applying to MD/PhD programs.
What fills your time now? Professionally and otherwise? I run the LGBTQIA+ affinity group for fellows at the NIH, work as an EMT in my county, ride my bike in the DC area, and follow my favorite bands in the local music scene.
How did your academic experience at Harvard guide you in your post-grad pursuits? Harvard's commitment to a multifaceted educational experience has shown me passions that I did not know I had before college and made me more daring in seeking out new experiences. I did not know how to code before coming to college and did not think it was something I would ever be interested in. However, I was tasked with using code to perform biological simulations for a class my first year. I found the problem solving aspect of programming so rewarding that I decided to use computational approaches in my research and will likely do a PhD in computational biology. I would never have had the confidence to pursue this without that introduction in my first year of college.
What was a favorite class you took and why? A class called "LS50", which is a course that counts for two class blocks for two semester (4 class blocks total!) and is focused on building the problem solving skills and scientific background to become a strong researcher. I came to the class with a weaker background in math and science than most of my peers, but with the small class size, a lot of hard work, and collaboration with my peers, I did so well in the class that I was asked to come back the next year and join the teaching team as a course assistant.
What were you involved in extracurricularly? I served as an EMT for the college through CrimsonEMS and played the clarinet as part of the Harvard University Band.
How did your extracurricular activities impact your Harvard experience? And have they had an impact on your post-grad life? I now work as an overnight volunteer EMT in my county. This has made me more engaged in my local community through my work as well as outreach programs associated with the fire station I work with.
What is your favorite Harvard tradition and why? As a Harvard University Band alum, my favorite Harvard tradition is marching down to the football field on the morning of home football games. Lots of people gather to watch us perform traditional Harvard marching songs and the school spirit is tangible.
What advice do you have for someone applying to college? Be courageous, work hard, and never underestimate yourself. Be willing to try new things even if you think you may fail. You never know where you will end up or what you will learn in the process.