Hi, nice to meet you! My name is Cora Gombo. I am a junior majoring in mathematics at UCF. Because I am the child of a military household, I moved around the country a lot. Luckily, I was able to remain in the same high school, Paul VI Catholic High School, which I graduated from. Given that my major is mathematics, one could infer my favorite classes revolve around math. Although this is true, I do enjoy classes that revolve around the humanities such as art and literature. These classes allow for a creative outlet, and I believe they are very important to becoming a well-rounded person. So far, my favorite class at the university has been Ordinary Differential Equations. Even though this class was challenging at times, I was satisfied by being able to see my other math courses come into play, such as Logic and Proof in Mathematics. Additionally, the course gave me the tools to depict real-world dynamics like diseases or appliance systems.

The STEM ambassador program was something I wanted to get involved in because I wanted to inspire the next generation of STEM students. Also, I wanted to give back to the STEM community. Furthermore, I returned as a STEM ambassador because the program allowed me to connect with like-minded individuals and grow the community. It is amazing how professors and peers demonstrated STEM concepts and how to use the skills learned from them. That inspired me to join. In the program, I not only contribute a positive attitude but a positive outlook and make STEM not so daunting. My advice to future and current STEM students is to ask questions and to explore the world around you. Outside of academics, I love to go on walks in nature with no headphones. Without the use of headphones, I feel I am living in the present moment more. Another hobby of mine is yoga and ballet.