Year-In-Review

2022-23

Involvements:

RefugeUC

Student Residence Hall Government

Club Tennis

2023-24

One of the aspects in which I had remarkable personal growth this year was learning how to orchestrate a team. I became the president of Residence Hall Association (RHA), an organization committed to bettering UC’s residence halls and residents through its pillars of Service, Advocacy and Representation. While stepping up to the position came with its set of challenges, I felt a constant push to better myself and the other executive board members that I worked with. Although making progress during RHA felt slow during some days, the seemingly microscopic efforts that we put in day in and day out accumulated into great accomplishments. Over the course of this school year, we hosted a regional leadership conference with over 250 students coming from schools in six states and D.C., provided thousands of dollars of funding to hall governments, and helped develop over 50 programs which had a total attendance of well over 3,000 students. I think part of our success as an organization comes from the fact that when you come across an organization as large as RHA, you have access to a diverse group of talented people who are great at doing their jobs. And while I still have a long way to go, I believe that I have seen a lot of growth in my leadership skills thanks to the incredible people around me. These skills are highly transferable, and I anticipate using these skills in future clubs, in my future career, and in my personal life.

Learning how to manage my time effectively has also been a perpetual challenge for me. Being involved in several extracurriculars, I found it increasingly difficult to balance schoolwork, extracurriculars, and me-time. After I felt the stress creeping up to me during the fall semester, I realized that I needed a systematic plan to regain control of my life before I was swallowed by it. First of all, I cut out things out of my schedule that held me back: social media usage, unimportant events, etc. Realizing that rest is just as important as work, I then created a schedule that included both my rest times and work times. Finally, I had some of my friends keep me accountable to make sure that I get certain tasks done. By repeating this process over and over and constantly re-evaluating my plan, I started to feel that I had more hours in the day again. However, I feel that my journey of improving my time-management has only just begun. As a pre-med student, I know that I will have to put in continuous effort of constant studying and maintaining a healthy lifestyle balance in order to prevent me from getting burnt out and demotivated.

2024-25

This past academic year has been one of tremendous personal growth, shaped by the diverse roles I embraced and the challenges I faced along the way. Through my involvement as a UHP Ambassador, Resident Advisor, researcher at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and Supplemental Instruction Leader for CHEM1020, I have expanded not only my leadership and communication skills but also deepened my resilience, adaptability, and commitment to service and learning.
Serving as a UHP Ambassador provided me with a platform to represent the Honors Program and connect with prospective students. It allowed me to reflect on my own journey and share the transformative experiences that shaped my academic and personal life. Speaking at events and interacting with students helped me develop confidence in public speaking and reaffirmed my desire to contribute to a supportive academic community.
As a Resident Advisor, I learned how to manage conflict, build inclusive communities, and support students through a wide range of personal and academic challenges. There were moments that tested my patience and emotional resilience, especially during times when I had to juggle my own coursework and responsibilities while being a source of stability for others. It taught me how to set boundaries, ask for help, and prioritize self-care—skills I had often overlooked but now see as essential to long-term success and well-being.
Working as a researcher at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital was both intellectually stimulating and personally grounding. Being part of a research team working on real-world medical challenges reminded me why I want to pursue a career in medicine. The work required perseverance through setbacks—whether it was troubleshooting experiments or navigating complex data. These experiences reminded me that resilience doesn’t always look like powering through, but often involves learning when to pause, revise, and collaborate.
My role as a Supplemental Instructor for CHEM1020 and biochemistry gave me the opportunity to build academic mentorship skills while reinforcing my own knowledge. Supporting students who struggled with material that once challenged me was both humbling and motivating. It reminded me how far I’ve come and how important it is to meet others where they are.
Throughout these roles, I encountered moments of doubt and exhaustion, but I also learned how to rely on my support systems. Friends, mentors, UHP peers, and professional staff were essential in helping me reframe setbacks and stay grounded. Their encouragement—and honest feedback—taught me that accountability and growth are sustained by community.
As I look ahead, I plan to continue leveraging these relationships and UHP resources to remain intentional in my growth. I’ll set regular goals, seek feedback, and practice reflective journaling to track progress. I also plan to give back by mentoring new UHP students and continuing to serve in roles that challenge and inspire me.
This year reminded me that growth is nonlinear, and resilience is a skill that must be practiced with compassion and community. I’m proud of the strides I’ve made and excited to keep moving forward—with purpose, humility, and heart.