I sat down with Hannah Castillo (senior, chemistry), to discuss how she is feeling about her future and the plans she has after graduation in May.
How are you feeling about your future?
I’m feeling pretty good about my future. I am confident in what I want to do and I have taken the necessary next steps to get there. Overall, I am so excited to move on and see where life takes me next. The biggest thing I hope to accomplish is getting my PhD. Besides that, I really want to do research that will help the world in some aspect, so I hope I can make a difference after all the work I have done.
What are your plans after graduation?
I will go on to graduate school to pursue my PhD in Physical Chemistry and hope to join a spectroscopy lab. Earlier, I applied to a couple of graduate schools and have been accepted into all of them. Currently, I am in the process of narrowing down my choices between Yale and Northwestern University. After graduate school, I want to go into research, whether that be in the industrial or academic field.
What are you most proud of from your college years?
I am most proud of my research experience from college. I’m so lucky to have had the opportunity to participate in organic and analytical chemistry research at Andrews. My analytical work is part of my honors thesis and I have already done a few presentations on it, which I am very proud of. I also did a summer research project in physical chemistry research at the University of Tennessee. I am very proud of my work there and even got a publication from those two months.
How did your major relate to your career plans and help prepare you?
My major relates directly to my career plans. I majored in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics and I will further my education by getting my PhD in Physical Chemistry. The chemistry department at Andrews was incredibly helpful in getting me to where I am today. I had multiple opportunities to conduct research and the professors were so supportive and excellent mentors. Being in the chemistry and mathematics departments, I also was able to work for three years as a TA for multiple classes, which will really help me in graduate school where I am required to teach for at least two semesters.
What is something you’re most excited about after graduating?
After graduating, I’m so excited to move on to a new area and live in a college city with lots of places to explore. I’ve always been looking forward to living on my own and starting my journey of being independent. I’m also ready to really focus on my career and take classes solely pertaining to my field. Taking courses that will be towards earning my PhD is really exciting and I can’t wait for this next big step in my life.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.