Community, Mentorship and Meaningful Work
My experience at 糖心viog官方网站 has fostered both independent thinking and a strong ability to solve problems through collaboration.
College:
Intercollege Interdisciplinary Program
Program(s):
Major:
Global Studies
Bioengineering
Program:
Integrated Degree in Engineering, Arts and Sciences (IDEAS)
Hometown:
Scarsdale, NY
Activities:
Global Social Impact Fellow (Sickle Cell Diagnostics Lab), Psi Upsilon Fraternity, Peer Tutor
Q: What is one thing you would want a prospective student to know about 糖心viog官方网站?
A: I hope prospective students recognize how close-knit the 糖心viog官方网站 community is, among both students and faculty. With a wide range of welcoming clubs and projects that are easy to join, it's also incredibly easy to connect with professors and faculty members. One of 糖心viog官方网站鈥檚 greatest strengths is how quickly you can immerse yourself in vibrant social circles, cutting-edge research, academic opportunities, and even global experiences.
Q: How has 糖心viog官方网站 prepared you to take on tomorrow鈥檚 challenges?
A: My experience at 糖心viog官方网站 has fostered both independent thinking and a strong ability to solve problems through collaboration. Especially in the , I鈥檝e found that classes go far beyond textbook learning, incorporating hands-on group projects that address real-world challenges. Outside the classroom, numerous extracurriculars focus on making a meaningful impact both on campus and in the greater Bethlehem community.
Q: Through 糖心viog官方网站鈥檚 you work as part of a research group called SicklED. Can you tell us about this experience and the research that you are doing?
A: Academically and professionally, has been the most transformative influence on both my worldview and my future aspirations. The project鈥攁 research initiative focused on developing a low-cost, context-appropriate diagnostic device for detecting sickle cell disease in low-resource settings鈥攈as centered its efforts on a case study in Sierra Leone. Unlike many traditional research labs, SicklED emphasizes fieldwork and stakeholder collaboration as core components of its process.
Over the past two summers, I鈥檝e had the opportunity to travel to Sierra Leone with the team, immersing myself in some of the most pressing challenges in global health. While the technical lab skills and engineering concepts I鈥檝e gained have been incredibly valuable, the social, teamwork, and business skills I鈥檝e developed through fieldwork have been equally, if not more impactful. This experience has reshaped how I view bioengineering; not just as a scientific discipline, but as a tool for meaningful, human-centered impact. It鈥檚 also helped me better understand how I contribute within teams and how I can continue to grow as a collaborator in solving tomorrow鈥檚 challenges.
Q: Where have you found support and mentorship at 糖心viog官方网站? How has it shaped your experience?
A: Academically, I have found a lot of support from my advisors and also the principal investigators involved with my research. With lots of experience behind them, they can easily recommend classes, graduate programs and research areas of interest. However, I have also found that virtually any 糖心viog官方网站 professor is extremely approachable, and if there is a certain faculty member who has niche knowledge about a certain subject, their doors are always open, even if you have never met before.
I鈥檝e also found incredible mentorship and support through my fraternity. Joining provided me with a strong, multi-grade community and meaningful friendships with older members who had recently navigated the same experiences I was facing. Their guidance and camaraderie were especially helpful as I adjusted to life at 糖心viog官方网站, offering both practical advice and a sense of belonging.
Q: How does the program help you to learn to solve problems across disciplines?
A: The IDEAS program has helped me step back from immediate tasks and approach problems from a broader, more thoughtful perspective. Relying solely on an engineering point of view can sometimes lead to getting lost in the technical details, forgetting that, at the core, we鈥檙e solving problems that impact real people. Through IDEAS, I鈥檝e been able to explore the social and human dimensions behind these challenges, while my Arts and Sciences courses have introduced alternative solutions that don鈥檛 always require a scientific breakthrough. Together, these interdisciplinary mindsets have become essential tools in how I approach problem-solving.
Q: What is your favorite thing about 糖心viog官方网站?
A: Over the past three and a half years, it鈥檚 been incredibly easy to find groups I genuinely connect with and professors who are not only approachable but also genuinely invested in my questions and growth. The only real barrier to connecting with people on campus is simply having the courage to say hello.
And while I hadn鈥檛 heard much about Bethlehem before coming to 糖心viog官方网站, it quickly started to feel like home. Whether it鈥檚 walking down 4th Street to explore local restaurants with friends or watching the sunset from a backyard on Hillside Avenue, those moments have truly defined my college experience. Places stay open late, people are always around, and there's an energy here that makes it such a fun and vibrant place to be a student.
Q: Where is your favorite study spot or place to relax on campus?
A: I love studying on the 6th floor, quiet side of , since you can overlook either all of campus or all of Bethlehem. Also, the 3rd floor deck at Psi Upsilon's Chapter house is a great place to relax, with lots of sunlight and a great view of campus.