My name is Regina, and I am a rising junior at the University of Pittsburgh. I am a Biological Sciences major on the pre-med track with minors in History, Chemistry, and Religious Studies. I am also on track to receive the Conceptual Foundations of Medicine certificate. I was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Langhorne, Pennsylvania— a town one hour outside of Philadelphia. In my free time, I enjoy baking, going on walks, venturing out to new places, and spending time with friends.
My choice of declaring a biology major is fundamentally rooted in my admiration of my father, a person I consider to be my role model. He is an immunology researcher for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He was the first person ever to foster my scientific interest by answering all my science-related questions about the world, no matter how trivial or complex they were! Seeing his passion for science and his diligent work in the lab has undoubtedly inspired me in my future plans.
Some factors which played a role in my decision to commit to Pitt were my acceptance into the Honors College program, the safe campus environment, and the endless opportunities that Pitt has to offer. My experience thus far at the University of Pittsburgh has been unbelievably gratifying— I feel such a sense of pride and belonging here in Pittsburgh. The free bus transportation we get as Pitt students has allowed me to explore different places and gave me a better connection to Pittsburgh. The biology department at Pitt is extraordinary and helped me feel confident in the major I chose. I especially appreciate the newsletters sent by the biology department since they contain many different job/internship opportunities. I couldn’t imagine my life any other way!
My personal definition of leadership includes communication, conscientiousness, and flexibility. It is essential for a leader to properly communicate with the rest of the group as well as personally reach out to individuals of the group so that everyone is on the same page. Good leaders are confident and take their responsibilities seriously, but can also adjust their methods to fit the dynamic of the group. For a successful outcome, collaboration between the leader and the rest of the group is definitely needed. In this way, my definition of leadership is similar to the “leadership is a relationship” textbook definition.
I committed to the Leadership in a Global Context program because I want to discover the different theories on leadership and pinpoint the ones I resonate with. I would like to develop my personal leadership abilities because leadership will be an integral aspect of my future. I was also intrigued by this program’s global context so that I can learn more inclusive and holistic methods of leadership. Overall, I am coming into this experience open-minded and ready to strengthen the areas of leadership I am weak in.