Diary of … a mentor

That girl who thought it was impossible to ever move forward, to ever get college credits, to change her life is, believe it or not, now a mentor. Quite frankly, I can’t believe it. I have found what I want to do with the rest of my life. And I can say with complete conviction that I love it.

Diary of… a student who attended a medical convention

Saamia Shaikh is a senior biology major. She is originally from Pakistan, but grew up in Orlando. She is the president of the Pre-Medical Society, as well as the co-president of the Pakistani Student Association. She is also a member of President’s 64 and on the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences’s Academic Integrity Committee. When Saamia is not studying, she is reading, doing research, volunteering in her community and spending time with friends and family.

Diary of…a student who traveled the world

Ionna Hernandez is double majoring in communication studies and international relations. She is originally from Panama, but was raised in South Florida. She speaks both Spanish and English fluently, can speak French conversationally and is currently learning Arabic. Her favorite quote is “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely in these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime,” written by Mark Twain in “Innocents Abroad.”

Diary of…a student who helped children living with HIV in Peru

Belina Collias is a second-year student in the Osteopathic Medicine program (OMS-II). She is originally from Burlington, Vt., a former Peace Corps Volunteer in Lesotho, Africa and founder of the non-profit organization The MOSA Project. She is currently president of NSU-COM’s International Medical Outreach Club. Her interests include international travel and volunteerism, social justice, human rights activism and public health.

Diary of… a student on the Paleo diet

Ana Castilla is a senior biology major who is a certified sports nutritionist through the International Society of Sport Nutrition. She gives Paleo nutrition lectures at different Crossfit affiliates such as 911 Crossfit and City Crossfit and is a Bootcamp and Zumba fitness instructor at 911 Crossfit. She enjoys being a coach and working face to face with people. Her favorite quote is, “Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution” by Dobzhansky.