Greetings!

My name is Zairyl Villanueva and I am a senior Biomedical Sciences major, graduating in Summer 2023. I currently work as a Medical Scribe for Advent Health Emergency Department. When I’m not working or studying, I typically love to travel or hang with my friends. My favorite class I’ve taken at UCF so far is microbiology, though a difficult class, the lab was genuinely so fun! We had interesting cultures that looked green and sparkly and it was interesting to observe bacteria in real-time.

In high school, I attended Osceola County School for The Arts as a vocal major but the medical field always had a special place in my heart! I became a STEM ambassador to show that STEM is not exclusive, though it comes across as daunting, it is just as magical a place and thought-provoking as a famous work of art.

Some advice for future STEM students that I have is always, ALWAYS put yourself first. Society may make it seem like that is impossible, but nothing matters if you don’t care for yourself first. Just know, if you want it, you will get it, so prioritize yourself first!