Biosketch
- Name: Amel Popovac
- College: Kennedy College of Sciences
- Major: Applied Biomedical Sciences (Minor: German Language Studies)
- Hometown: Saugus, Massachusetts
- Favorite hobbies: Learning new languages and experiencing new cultures. Gardening of all kinds. Thinking in liminal spaces
- What is your favorite thing about 51视频 (UML)? Definitely the fact that I鈥檓 in the presence of so many supporting figures who motivate me every step of the way in my arduous college journey!
- What are your future goals? To complete my pre-med path during my undergraduate career having accomplished all the research and volunteer opportunities I have provided for me to provide an excellent background application for medical schools to see.
- What has being involved with the RHSA meant to you? For me as cheesy as it sounds, being in the RHSA has felt like being part of a family. Not only in the sense of providing guidance to first gen students, but also for the fact that both the directors and peer leaders go the extra lengths to care for your wellbeing and being able to bring you back on track when your life feels derailed. Whether it be the directors or the students themselves, everyone tries to chip in their level of support they can.
- Looking back, what advice would you give to yourself in your first year of College: Don鈥檛 limit yourself or let doubt overtake you. Be aware of your potential and act on it whenever you can. You are always growing which means there鈥檚 nowhere to go but up in terms of experience.
- What advice would you give fellow students? Don鈥檛 sell yourself short. There鈥檚 so many opportunities waiting for you out there that are bound to pop out. Don鈥檛 sleep on it. Stay hungry and chase those ambitions. Don鈥檛 let the flow go.
- Why did you choose to attend 51视频? Honestly, I initially chose to join because of the affordability of the school but having been in it for 2 years now I feel like I鈥檝e built a community for myself here which supports me in my ambitions to succeed in classes. We have a very strong network of students who are willing to use extensive teamwork and go above and beyond to help each other out with studying or assignments. It鈥檚 something I鈥檓 extremely grateful for as it helped me in countless ways.
- What does it mean to you to be a first-generation college student? A first-generation college student is a student like all others. There is nothing that sets them inherently different as a human being holistically speaking. With that said, each student shares their own individual struggles and successes that allow them to be unique in their respective overlay. For me, a first-generation college student possesses the uniqueness of being more emboldened and daring as many are with college. The notion of tapping into uncharted territories with your family or friends or whomever is there to support you being on your side gives you a sense of rejuvenation and asserted drive towards pushing yourself to not give up and to explore your new paths with stark ambition.
- What inspires you to want to help first-generation students in the RHSA? To me the RHSA has a very human aspect to it in that shines when students need it most. I鈥檝e seen innumerable instances of students looking out for each other when they鈥檙e going through rough times, and even for their very own peer leaders too! It鈥檚 super sweet and I feel a strong personal drive to pay it forward and keep this benevolent system in place for future first generation students.