“To be honest, I didn’t initially plan on coming to the U because having grown up in Utah, I had this desire to move as far away as possible. But ultimately, when the time came, I realized that the U was the right choice to help me reach my goals in terms of accessibility, value, and close proximity to my family.

Looking back, attending the University of Utah has been the best choice I could have made. I feel that I’ve had so many unique experiences and opportunities here, and met people that I wouldn’t have anywhere else. It feels kind of serendipitous.

Coming into college I knew that I wanted to do something related to the health field, but I wasn’t sure what that looked like. During my freshman year, I signed up for the Honors integrated minor in health, and I got to take some really interesting courses such as social determinants of health, global health, the history of medicine, and similar topics. Engaging in those courses made me realize that it is really important to not only understand the individual biological components of health but also the broader implications of population level health. I have become especially interested in topics of health equity and access.

Outside of class, one thing I have been heavily involved in at the U has been undergraduate research. I started doing research with faculty during my freshman year. Across my four years I have gotten to work on different research projects with Population Health Sciences, the Huntsman Cancer Institute, the Department of Emergency Medicine, and the College of Science. I was even able to receive a scholarship to go complete a research internship in Germany this past summer. Research has been meaningful to me because I’ve been able to develop technical skills but also connect with others and gain insight into continuing my career. One of my goals as a Presidential Intern is to make such opportunities more accessible to students.

During my time at the U, I have been fortunate to gain some incredible mentors along the way. The people that I have met have enriched my experience and shaped my perspective. Everyone at the U is rooting for you. Be willing to put yourself out there, and connections will grow themselves.”

–Nehal Bakshi is a senior from Provo, Utah double majoring in biology and health, society & policy.