Going back to the day I submitted my application to this program, I remember quickly dismissing the idea of possibly being accepted. From what I heard, the program was a highly competitive opportunity. So when I received my acceptance letter, I was in disbelief.
The weeks leading up to my session were filled with excitement but also stress and worry. Looking back at the time I spent at Fred Hutch, many lessons and activities impacted me and will be contributing factors to my future career choices. Learning about CRISPR and how this gene editing tool was the key to treating not only types of cancer, but also other diseases, brought into perspective how science holds answers to so many questions that are yet to be discovered. It made me want to be apart of the millions of people who discover, learn, and help people every day using science.
Another one of my favorite parts of participating in this program was listening to each speaker’s journey and advice. Every speaker had their own unique story that I learned a lot from. One speaker, Raabya (last name) affected my way of thinking of life and my future. Raabya’s story was about how she was told she couldn’t research HIV; the disease that was spreading in her country like wildfire. However, she was not ready to give up on one of the most important goals in her life; to research HIV. As a result of her perseverance and determination, she is currently apart of the millions of scientists who are working to find a cure for HIV. Her journey taught me that determination and passion will play a huge role in your success and future.
I feel extremely fortunate and honored to have been given the opportunity to meet people who have truly impacted my life in many ways. I learned so much from lab activities, things I wouldn’t have learned in school. Before coming to Fred Hutch, I was conflicted regarding college majors and careers. I had no idea what I was interested in or what I wanted to be. Being part of this program reminded me how much I loved science and this experience will greatly influence my decisions in the future in terms of career.
In this picture, my lab partner and I successfully completed the ELISA lab activity. The purpose of this lab was to decide on the most effective treatment for a patient who was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Although I was never a fan of acting or drama classes, I enjoyed acting out what happens inside the immune system when it is under attack.
Micropipetting was a new skill I learned at Fred Hutch!
