Hi! My name is Madison Manley and I’m a senior majoring in electrical engineering. I graduated in 2016 from Plant City High School, which is located near Tampa, Florida. One of the most interesting classes I’ve taken so far is semiconductors. It was very challenging, but the topics were super interesting and deals with research I do at UCF. I joined GEMS my freshman year because I had little to no experience in STEM and didn’t grow up with the representation of women working in STEM. I had a great mentor and group my freshman year who provided me with advice on how to get involved on campus and provided the camaraderie that is hard to find in the huge general engineering classes. I believe that this experience helped me solidify my decision in majoring in electrical engineering and made me become more confident in my decision to pursue a field that is generally dominated by men. Some quick word of advice: don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and get out of your comfort zone, both academically and emotionally. Keep exploring and asking questions until you find what you really love! When I’m not studying or doing research, I like to read, work out, and watch Netflix.