My name is Katherine Falls, but you can call me Katie. I am an upcoming 4th year Biochemistry major at UCF. I graduated from Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Illinois in 2022. I come from a military family and went to two high schools and have lived in 8 different places. Some of my favorite classes here at UCF have been Chemistry Fundamentals and Genetics. The labs are super fun, and the material is useful for so many fields. I felt like I could really apply what I was learning. My favorite professor has been Jonathan Caranto for Biochemistry I. He makes the class engaging and interactive with a flipped classroom model. He encourages group work and communication that ensures understanding and networking skills. I decided to get involved in the WiSTEM program because I have always been passionate about encouraging women and young girls to go down the STEM path. As an underrepresented demographic in STEM, it’s important to create a sense of community, so we can work together towards our similar goals and interests. Throughout this semester, I hope I can be a safe place for my mentees to go to and can answer all their burning questions. I hope my mentees will allow me to guide them and will speak up when there is an issue. Outside of school, I often find myself playing video games. Some of my favorite games are Pokemon and Animal Crossing. I also love volunteering, tennis, and enjoying animation. If I were to give any advice to upcoming STEM students, I would remind them of the importance of community. The journey is so much easier when there is a group there to help you with classes and any other difficulties you may find being a STEM student.