My name is Leonora Carvalho Vaz de Siqueira, and I am an Industrial Engineering major. This will be my fourth year at UCF. In 2019, I graduated from Arena Ensino Medio which is in Goiânia, Brazil. One of my favorite classes at UCF was Matrix and Linear Algebra. While the subject was very interesting, it was extremely challenging. I had to deal with the theory behind programming. The subject was very abstract and hard to grasp, so I had to work very hard in that class; but being able to succeed in a class with such importance in my major was rewarding.  My favorite professor at UCF is Professor Michalak. I had him for both Calculus II and III. Professor Michalak explained in such a way that I didn’t have to memorize anything because I understood the concepts behind it. The way he taught us wasn’t just plugging in numbers and getting an answer. Besides that, he was very caring and you could clearly see how much he liked math and liked being a professor. He would also throw in real-life examples which helped a lot not only to better understand the subject but also to see why what we were learning was so important. I would wake up happy and excited that I had a class with him that day. I love this program because it allows students in STEM majors to connect with other students with similar majors and interests. The program creates a safe environment where seeking assistance is encouraged, free from judgments. It’s great to know if you’re having a hard time, there are people there to help and support you. Even in moments when assistance isn’t needed, the knowledge that caring individuals are there for you is immensely comforting. In my free time, I like to play soccer, listen to music, cook, and hang out with my friends.

Words of advice for the WiSTEM freshman students: Life is full of ups and downs, so don’t stress too much about bad things because they will pass; and enjoy the good ones as they will also pass.