We caught up with a few of our graduating seniors to find out what their experience was like and to learn about where they’re headed next.
Sarah Wait
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
When I’m outside of school/work, I definitely like to be outside. During the summer, spring, and fall months I’m an avid mountain biker and usually try to go for a ride a couple of times a week. If I’m really feeling daring and I take time off of work, I like to go backpacking around the national parks. Whereas during the winter I enjoy skiing and snowmobiling. (Pro tip: if you are a broke college student (like me), hike to the top of the mountain and ski down. It saves you paying an arm and a leg in lift tickets, but prepare to be incredibly sore/tired. Also, don’t go snowmobiling because it’s too expensive).
If I’m not any of those places, you will most likely find me either watching The Office for the 100th time or reading Game of Thrones.
Where are you headed after graduation?
After graduation I plan on taking a year off to focus on my current research endeavors, then heading off to grad school to get my Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering.
What was your favorite part of your undergraduate career?
The stress of this major can really wear you down so you need to find a group to endure it with. The friends that I have made in this major have provided me with some of the best memories of my life and I’m so lucky to have met them.
Why BME?
Back when I was graduating high school (circa 2015), the CRISPR genome editing system was really starting to gain the popularity that such an advancement in science warranted. I remember being so fascinated by this technology and what it could mean for someone like me, who is an amalgamation of several genetic diseases. So, I started taking biomedical engineering courses because I was fascinated by the synthetic biology applications that it could be applied to, and ended up falling in love with the field.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in their college career?
I would say, do not be afraid to ask questions. So many people are afraid of what other people will think of their intelligence, but the students who ask questions are the ones who are more engaged in the lecture, which *shockingly* helps you understand the material and it helps the professors notice you, which will make easier for them to write you a letter of recommendation.