My name is Jeanelle Baldwin, but my friends call me Jaden. I’m a junior majoring in Biomedical Sciences, and minoring in Psychology. I graduated in the Class of 2015 from Middleton High School in Tampa. When I was in elementary school, I was the kid that would tell everyone they wanted to be a doctor. To this day, science is still my favorite subject. Every single hands-on experiment I’ve done in Microbiology and Chemistry have been an absolute treat that I look forward to. It’s truly spectacular to learn abstract concepts by holding them in your hands.

When I was in sixth grade, I got started in a robotics program by mere chance. That simple act of fate has been the source of my drive for the past 9 years. I am a STEM Ambassador because I want to give students the chance to develop their own critical thinking and teamwork-building skills – the same ones I learned in middle and high school at engineering competitions. I want to inspire students to think creatively to solve a problem with the tools they have. STEM subjects are not nearly as impossible as they seem, and even young students can develop the skills to rival professionals. I have never let my failures keep me down, and my top priority in everything I do is to have fun. Outside of classes, I spend a lot of time playing board games with my roommates and attending local plays.

The best advice I’ve ever received is from a coworker: following your interests is now or never. It’s better to choose now.