In 2012 I graduated from Saint Michael’s College, in Colchester, Vermont, with a B.S. in biology, where I conducted research with Vermont EPSCoR under the mentorship of Dr. Declan McCabe. I joined the CMB program in the fall of 2012 and so far have had a great experience. I chose University of Vermont because of the wide variety of research options, small program size, the cutting-edge research being conducted, and because I have found that Vermont is a great place to learn and to live. Outside of academics, I enjoy cycling, reading, music, and exploring the many cultural experiences that Burlington has to offer.