My name is Sierra Zarate and I am a senior at UCF pursuing a degree in Biomedical Sciences and a minor in Spanish. I am originally from Tampa, Florida and I graduated from Tampa Catholic High School in 2012. My favorite course I’ve taken at UCF is Human Anatomy with Dr. Samsam. Although this course was extremely challenging, I learned so much from it. Not only did I learn a lot about the anatomy of the human body but I also gained a lot of time management and study skills. I went on to be a VTA for the course for the following 2 semesters, where I helped teach students in their weekly labs. I really enjoyed doing this because I was able to maintain and expand my knowledge of the subject all while helping other students learn it for the first time. In my spare time I like to go on bike rides, paint pottery, and spend time with my friends and family.

I decided to join the STEM Ambassador program because I love my major and am very passionate about the STEM career that I am pursuing, which is dentistry. Being a STEM major can be very challenging at times and UCF has a lot of great resources to help you be successful. I hope to show future college students how diverse and rewarding careers in STEM can be and encourage them to look into pursuing one. My advice to prospective STEM majors is to have an open mind, stay positive, and ultimately do what makes you happy.