Aaron Denmark

Aaron Denmark

Class Status: Senior

Major: Biology: Cellular and Molecular

Campus program/ Involvement: STEM Scholars, MSA, Pre-health Society, TLTC 4.

Career Goal: To become an Epidemiologist

What are some of your hobbies?
Some of my hobbies include skateboarding, reading, and hiking.

How has the scholars program you are a part of helped you?
STEM scholars have helped me tremendously over the course of two years. Through the various events I have participated in, I would always leave with a sense of support and belonging. The support and belonging came from what was being presented or from the endless care for my success by the staff. The push for normalizing studying and doing well in my courses resulted in me joining a community where people from similar backgrounds as mine are working hard together to tear down the stigma and expected low graduation rates amongst black and brown communities. For this mission, I will always be grateful for the STEM scholars and staff for assisting me in my academic journey.

What keeps you motivated and positive throughout life’s hardships?
My motivation comes from understanding what my purpose is and who I’m doing it for. My purpose is to fulfill a need in my community, which I plan on doing through medicine/health. My family and witnessing what people in my community go through pushes me to endure through hardship so I can return and be the change I wish to see. I’ve gained a positive mindset from this because I have been put in a position to accomplish these tasks.

What advice would you like to give to future scholars?
The advice I would give to a future scholar is to view education as an investment and not as a waste of time. Nelson Mandela says, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.

What are your plans after graduation?
My plans are to study for graduate school and gain as much experience as possible before I get there.