Hi everyone! My name is Yessica Elena Rodriguez. I am a first generation Latina pursuing
a degree in Biology with a pre-health emphasis, with a double minor in Chemistry and
Sociology. I am from Greeley, Colorado, and have gone to school here since the early
years of Kindergarten. Since a young age, I have always dreamed of becoming a doctor,
and hope to become a pediatric pulmonologist in my life. I plan to graduate from UNC,
pursue a one-year accelerated biomedical Master’s program, and then apply to medical
school in pursuit of my dreams of working with lungs for the rest of my life. The
reason for wanting to work with lungs is due to the fact that I was born three and
a half months premature and grew up with an immense amount of lung issues, and that
personal connection makes me want to help children in similar situations as I once
was. Some things I take immense pride in is my involvement across campus, and being
able to serve a plethora of roles and responsibilities while being a student. I serve
as the President of Mortar Board, Vice President of TriBeta, an Undergraduate Research
Lab Assistant in the Ornithology (Bird) Lab, a Senator for the College of Natural
and Health Sciences in Student Senate, an Ambassador for the Natural and Health Sciences
a Peer Mentor for LEAP, Secretary of the Chemistry Club, Secretary of the Society
for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanic and Native Americans in Science, Secretary of
the Pre-Health Professionals Club and a student employee in the Mathematics and Science
Teaching Institute. My work in the ornithology lab has guided me to study the Quantification
of male and female feather temperature variation in relation to color in Turdus migratorius
for my research project. I will be studying American Robin bird feathers under different
sources of heat and seeing what impacts that has on the birds, and how that can impact
their environment in future years.
