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Meet Penelope Cervantes, a senior biology major with a Spanish minor from Toledo, Ohio. With a passion for science, Cervantes said her decision to study biology was easy.

“I knew I always wanted to do something in the field,” Cervantes said. “It is a very broad major, so you can do just about anything with your career.”

Cervantes wanted to further connect with her family living in México, motivating her to pursue a minor in Spanish.

“It's important for me to be more fluent in Spanish to remove any language barriers,” Cervantes said. “Also, it's great to know two or more languages.”

Cervantes is involved in many outlets on campus, giving her a broad taste of campus life and allowing her to foster meaningful connections with her peers. She is a mentor for the Exploratory Learning Community and for the Kupita/Transiciones in the E. Timothy Moore Student Multicultural Center.

“I am also a McNair Scholar, a member of Flash Fellows, a member of the Spanish and Latine Student Association, and I was a member of Sister Circle,” Cervantes said.  

Being part of the McNair Scholars Program has been a highlight in Cervantes’ college career. The McNair Scholars Program aims to prepare first-generation, undergraduate students for doctoral study. Scholars are engaged in in-depth research, mentored by faculty and exposed to varied academic and cultural experiences.  

“I had the experience of going through this program with some of my best friends who I met here in ����ֱ��,” Cervantes said. "We traveled to Los Angeles together for a research conference and stayed at the dorms in UCLA.”

Cervantes balances her many involvements on campus by prioritizing her mental and physical health so she can show up as her best self every day.  

“I am very passionate about taking care of my mental and physical health, so I like to frequently go on walks, do yoga and lift weights,” Cervantes said.