Growing up, many of my family members, like my father and brother, worked in or were interested in medicine. I planned on joining them because I wanted to help people. I was, however, also interested in technology, but I chose the route with which I was most familiar. I began my studies as a freshman at UAB in 2019, where I enrolled as a neuroscience major on the pre-med track.
Shortly after the pandemic started, I had to adjust to the new normal like many other UAB students. During the pandemic, I enrolled in the Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s program for the Master of Public Health (MPH) to learn more about the impact the pandemic was having around me. Continuous learning was a core value instilled in me at UAB, so I accepted it in full force by planning to use what I learned in the MPH curriculum as a physician in the future.
As I progressed through my years at UAB, I was continuously surrounded by a culture of excellence and growth. I maintained high grades and got involved on campus as a Resident Assistant, UAB Ambassadors President, and served in USGA positions. I joined a research lab at UAB and volunteered as much as I could to give back to the community in which I grew up. Every step of the way, UAB offered an opportunity for me to improve every single day.
I put my best foot forward every day, but I sometimes thought to myself that maybe my heart wasn’t fully with medicine. I also started to think that I did not have to become a doctor to be able to help people. All career fields have an impact, so I decided to reflect. I talked to my mentors at UAB—like Cristin Gavin, Ph.D., assistant professor and teaching faculty in the Undergraduate Neuroscience Program—where I realized that my true passion lies within technology. Fortunately, I knew that studying Computer Science (CS) could support my passion, so I talked to my advisors and created a plan to try out the program.
The switch was extremely scary at first. I went from a senior in college at the end of their pre-med career to a fourth-year student who had just started taking Intro CS classes. Many of my peers around me in the CS classes were freshmen, so it took some getting used to, as I had already been through the earlier stages of college. I had to essentially start over. Many of my friends who were about to graduate would sometimes say, “Are you sure you don’t want to switch back into premed?”
However, since my passion finally aligned with my work, I continued to work hard and with enthusiasm every single day. I did switch late into CS, but I didn’t let it define the work that I produced. Fortunately, many of the disciplines at UAB, like Neuroscience and MPH, offer different lenses for problem-solving. I used those lenses to approach problem-solving within CS. This allowed me to continue to excel in my classes. I would also heavily participate in my classes as if I had just started my career at UAB.
Through this participation, I created important connections with my professors, like Dr. Mahmut Unan, for whom I was a TA, and Dr. Amber Wagner, who nominated me for a CAS Dean’s award, which I won for 2025. I continued to work through my classes and started applying to internships. I was extremely nervous about internships as I did not know how companies would react to my story, but I fortunately was able to land an internship at a local startup for the summer of 2024, and I landed an internship at Alabama Power for the summer of 2025.
During every single interview process, I emphasized that my time at UAB had taught me that it is okay to change paths. I showed them how I had faced a setback by switching into CS late, but that I stayed resilient and refused to give up. I mentioned that I embraced the uncertainty and consistently tried my best regardless of the obstacles ahead of me.
My story at UAB is one of change, resilience, and passion. I was surrounded by a community that wanted me to succeed, but it also provided support when I needed it. My participation in different disciplines at UAB has helped shape me into the person I am today. Not even one of the activities or knowledge that I learned has gone to waste. I have worked hard to try and help the others around me, but this time with the help of CS. Fortunately, my parents were extremely supportive every single step of the way.
This December, I am graduating with a BS in Computer Science, a BS in Neuroscience, and an MPH with a concentration in Epidemiology. In January, I will continue using everything I have learned at UAB in my next role as a Software Developer at Alabama Power.
