This year I will be a sophomore studying Biotechnology at UCF. I was born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida and attended Lawton Chiles High School. So far, Chemistry II and Microbiology Lab have been my favorite classes in college, because they were equally challenging and fascinating. Dr. William Safranek has been my favorite professor at UCF, he made learning Microbiology fun and was always willing to lend us a hand when we needed help or advice. Getting involved with GEMS is an important way to find other students who are equally passionate about their studies and are interested in the same field you are. Through GEMS I have met many of my best friends and study partners. The best advice I would have for incoming freshmen is to work hard and study what you love, even if it ends up being completely different than what you thought it would be. When I'm not in school I enjoy being outside camping, kayaking, and hiking. I am also currently a Younglife leader in the East Orlando area.