I was fortunate enough to be chosen as one of the 2022-2023 NIU Honors Scholars for my senior honors capstone, “Synthesis and Characterization of Carborane-Appended Tetraphenylethylene for use in Biological Sensing.” I saw this project as a culmination of everything I had learned in my degree and the three and a half years I had worked as an undergraduate research assistant in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Not only was I getting the opportunity and funding to explore a meaningful project that could contribute to something bigger than myself, but it was also a way to see that my hard work and persistence were paying off. I am a rather non-traditional student; I was homeschooled from first grade to when I enrolled in my first semester of college. I took a semester off during the pandemic and am now graduating after five and a half years at NIU. I had struggled with social anxiety and panic disorders since I was too young to know what those were. I was diagnosed at twenty-two with Attention-Deficit Disorder. I saw these things as barriers to my success in college and nearly gave up many times. However, I am also a tad stubborn and knew I would regret not achieving this goal more than anything else. It wasn’t going to be easy by any means, and I might not succeed the same way as my peers, but I was going to try my best and get that diploma. So, when Dr. Goode told me that I was one of this year’s Honors Scholars, I couldn’t have been happier. It validated my perseverance and how far passion can take you.
I worked with two amazing faculty mentors while participating in CHEM 499, the honors section of the independent research course offered by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The first, Dr. Narayan Hosmane, a distinguished research professor in the department, was my general chemistry professor. I met him on the first day of classes in 2017, and since then, without fail, he has supported me throughout my academic journey. I know I would not have had the same opportunities I do now without him and all his help. He saw potential in me that even I didn’t, and I cannot thank him enough. He also gave me a chance to work on ground-breaking cancer treatment research, which is the highlight of my resume and my time at NIU. Circumstances then led me to work with Dr. Elizabeth Gaillard, a renowned physical biochemist and professor in the department, who went above and beyond to ensure that I could continue my work from the past three years for my capstone. Under her direction, I learned how to take the initiative and responsibility required for working on my own research project and the opportunity to work independently on something that would have seemed impossible five years ago. These are just a few wonderful things I have experienced working with faculty mentors who I know I will still be connected with for years to come.
I was able to accomplish all this thanks to the support and initiative the Honors Program gave. I also would not have been able to even attempt this project without the generous funding through the Honors Scholar scholarship. I am grateful for everything I have accomplished while in the program and hope that my experiences can be of some benefit to any students in a similar situation as me. Each one of us is unique, and that’s what makes this program special! My advice to future students: don’t compare yourself to others (easier said than done, I know) and focus on doing the best you can do, cause that’s what matters.
