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Hi! My name is Kristen Brightwell and I'm a senior double majoring in Statistics and Mathematics with a Mathematical Biology Concentration. My favorite class at UCF so far has been Organic Chemistry I because the material was interesting and I learned how to think about chemistry on both a micro and a macro scale. I also enjoyed the structure of the course and because of this, I developed a good study technique that I was able to apply to subsequent courses. One of my favorite professors at UCF is Dr. Rita Graham. She taught my Honors Fundamentals of Technical Presentations class and she really cared about her students. She went out of her way to be accessible and she was always available to help with a problem, both related and unrelated to the class. I was involved with the GEMS program my freshman year as a mentee and my relationship with my mentor and my fellow mentees made me want to become more involved in the program as a mentor to help others find their place on campus. In the GEMS program, I find the networking events to be particularly helpful, as they provide insight into other STEM fields and they allow you to network in a comfortable atmosphere. My advice for incoming students is to utilize the EXCEL lab for all of your STEM courses, not just for math courses. The science GTA's are very helpful and they know what they are talking about so make sure you utilize them. In addition to studying, I spend a lot of time volunteering, exercising, and hanging out with friends.