Hi! My name is Andrea Vasquez, I am a second-year Biology student, following the Zoology/Pre-Vet Track, with a minor in Mathematical Biology. I am from South Florida, and graduated from Pembroke Pines Charter High School, in Broward County in 2021.

My favorite class so far at UCF has been Ecology, I love how specific it gets when delving into how living animals and the environment interact with each other, and it highlights the importance of everyone’s role in the community. Additionally, Calculus 1 was great in my opinion, if find this math to be exceedingly fun to do, and although time-consuming, it’s incredibly relaxing to work through. Really loved Professor David Head, for European History, his teaching style was great, and made his lectures captivating.

I was fortunate enough to grow up with people to look up to in the STEM field, have people who have inspired my career choice, and have had specific moments that sparked my interest in the sciences, but there are some people who don’t get that opportunity. I would like to be able to make an impact on students who may not expect to have an interest in the sciences and be able to influence as many people, as I’ve been influenced. The STEM Ambassador program will allow me to do this and access many opportunities to accomplish this.

Some advice I could offer is: Don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone! If there’s something that you can see yourself doing but are too afraid to commit to it, or don’t know anyone there, any doubts that may hold you back from your potential, try your best to get past them, and try something new! Looking back, you’ll be so grateful, because it’ll help develop who you are today.

A little about me, I absolutely love going to concerts, the last concert I went to was Lady Gaga, and I have seen her twice now. I enjoy going out with my friends, and doing things that create lasting memories, like going to UCF football games, theme parks, or the beach!