Hello! My name is Carlyn Higgins and I am a sophomore at UCF! My major is Environmental Engineering. I graduated from Timber Creek High School, which is just a few miles away from UCF. So far, my favorite class I've taken at UCF has been chemistry. The reason why I liked this class so much was the material. Learning about elements and how they react in contact with each other is really interesting! My favorite professor that I've had so far is hands down John Hausserman. Being a math instructor for the EXCEL program, I was lucky enough to have him for Calc 2. He always made himself available at all times so whenever I had a problem I could go to him. John is super funny too, which is a plus! I wanted to get involved with the GEMS program because it's a super fun way to get to know other girls who are in the STEM field. It also provides mentoring, which I definitely needed my freshman year of college. I know I have gone through a lot at UCF and I want to be able to share my experience as well as guide younger members through their beginnings here. I hope the mentees in the program use the GEMS program to their advantage. If any girl has a problem, needs advice, or just wants to hang out, they shouldn't be afraid to let one of us mentors know! My words of wisdom for all EXCEL freshman are: it's totally okay to go out, have fun, and experience college! But remember, school work always comes first. Personally, I love to go to the beach, watch reality television shows, exercise, and shop when I'm not in class or studying. Overall, I hope everyone enjoys and excels in their beginnings at the best school ever, UCF!