Fellow with One Heart Source, Cape Town, South Africa

The initiative required to succeed in CHS courses, and the drive to continually challenge myself as I did in my CHS classes, translated into a pursuit of other opportunities at Penn State. I began studies in the Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship Program and conducted research in Zambia on healthcare pathways and associated gaps in care. I later pursued a One Heart Source Fellowship, leading me to manage a Health Volunteer Program in Cape Town, South Africa. Through this research, I have gained field experience and data analysis that has led to published manuscripts, and a varied toolkit in leadership, program management, and education.

I had always been interested in tissue engineering and artificial organs. CHS Chemistry enabled me to jumpstart this path in pursuing my degree. Transferring in the credits enabled me to get ahead in chemistry courses and reduced my course load so I could pursue other interests. I also feel that having a CHS class under my belt before school carried weight in my applications to school.

CHS classes are a great way to challenge yourself academically, gaining applicable college skills for an easy transition into your first year of undergraduate schooling. CHS courses really taught me about the work ethic needed in college to truly understand course material and succeed on examinations.