Hey, my name is Rida Rasool and I am a junior at the University of Central Florida majoring in Biomedical Sciences. My love for science truly flourished when I was in Dr. Phillips High School and took my first anatomy and physiology honors class. I was fascinated about the way the human body works in such unison to maintain homeostasis, that at the end of the course I was yearning for more to learn. Ever since then, becoming a medical doctor and having a STEM major was my dream career and goal. Ironically, my favorite class at UCF also turned out to be Physiology with Dr. Flory. I learned so much about how our bodies function on a daily basis without us even voluntarily trying. I was most impressed by the mechanism in which the heart pumps and functions depending on the amount of activity one is engaging in!

Although a major career goal of mine is to become a medical doctor, another goal on a more personal level is to positively impact as many people as I can along my journey! What’s interesting about my second goal is that while becoming a medical doctor is something that can be achieved, this goal is ongoing and does not reach a stopping point or a maximum. Becoming a STEM ambassador is the best way I can impact students and help them with reaching their goals with my knowledge of science and life skills I have learned thus far at UCF! By having the opportunity of being a STEM ambassador, I am making a difference in the community by being provided the avenue to cognitively engage with young minds and give them primary knowledge of what it is like and means to be a STEM major. If there is two piece of advice I would give to rising STEM majors, it would be to always persevere and never consider your cup (of knowledge) full. Being a STEM major, one will always have to seek new information and accept that there will always be something to learn.

While being a STEM major is awesome, other things I enjoy doing include all things outdoors. I love to be with family and friends to go biking, boating, hiking, or even just a walk. Being outdoors really refreshes me and allows me to appreciate the world and nature around us. I also love to travel and discover new things and places. Don’t get me wrong though movies are a great pass time too!