Sharena Rice is truly one of a kind–a spectacular breed of her own! Here are some key facts about her just in case you don’t already know her! Let’s start with her past: Sharena was a Student Trip Leader for Cal Lutheran’s Alternative Spring Break as well as President of the Psychology club. Currently, she is Student President of the University Honors Program, Treasurer of Psi Chi, a member of the Artists and Speakers Committee, and Co-founder and Co-organizer of an amazing program, WE_STEM! Sharena’s major is Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, with minors in both Philosophy and Psychology. As you can see, this young woman has an impressive past, present, and an extremely promising future! All the best wishes toward her.
Her Campus Cal Lutheran: Why did you choose to pursue science?
Sharena Rice: The better question is why I decided to pursue the areas of study I do. When I first came to Cal Lutheran, I pre-meditated on being pre-med. I am kind of short and would therefore be considered a pre-shrunk shrink if I was a psychiatrist. Thus, I majored in biochemistry and minored in psychology. During my sophomore year, Dr. Tierney asked me if I ever considered minoring in philosophy, so I picked that up, too. I realized that I was attracted to these three seemingly-different disciplines because they addressed thought. I also realized that being a physician was not the right career path for me. Last summer, I had an amazing experience as a Swenson Summer Research Fellow. I worked on a project where I looked at where certain proteins which flip lipids appear in retinal development. This sealed the deal for pursuing neuroscience as a career.
HC: What are your plans after graduation?
SR: My plans for after graduation are to participate in an NIH-funded post-baccalaureate at University of Michigan. There, I will conduct neuroscience research, find the subspecialty in neuroscience I want to focus my life’s work on, take graduate-level courses, and become a stronger candidate for a PhD program for the year afterwards.
HC: What is your long term goal?
SR: More than anything, my long-term goal is to inspire other people. As a career, I want to be a neuroscience professor at a research university so I can make discoveries and blow peoples’ minds on a daily basis. I have been an academic tutor for five years, I have had students shadow me in the lab, and if I was a food, I would be an academia nut.
HC: Who or what motivates you?
SR: Motivating others and trying new things motivate me. When I become sad, I write appreciation to those whom I know. It makes me feel better, plus the recipients of the letters become happy. I try to meet random people every day, generate puns, and visit places. Novelty is a great cure for stagnation.
HC: What is your proudest moment in your life so far?
SR: My proudest moment was when I was awarded with the William Rosser Leadership Award this year. This is the biggest leadership award which Cal Lutheran offers to current students, offered to someone who has significantly improved the student experience and will be sustained beyond their graduation. Furthermore, the recipient must demonstrate characteristics similar to William Rosser, the former Dean of Students. While I have held multiple leadership positions during my time at Cal Lutheran, I have worked especially hard as an iconoclast for the University Honors Program. By collaborating with the other officers, Honors students, and faculty members, I created co-curricular activities and an interdisciplinary group project as its first Student President. I feel honored to be nominated and to be recognized, but even more proud to have made a positive difference at Cal Lutheran.
HC: I noticed you recently launched a new program called WE_STEM! Tell us about that!
SR: After attending numerous entrepreneurial events by the School of Management and realizing that I was one of the very few females there, I talked with Brandon Highland, an alum of Cal Lutheran. He got me connected with Vanessa Ting, the CEO of Buyerly. Vanessa and I bounced ideas off of each other and decided to create a Meetup group for Women in Entrepreneurship and STEM (WE_STEM) to help students and professionals find internships, friendships, and partnerships with each other- whichever ships float their boats. Dr. Apfelthaler, the Dean of the School of Management, has been supportive of WE_STEM. The meetings are free with networking and a keynote speaker. Our next meeting will be at the Huddle Campus in Westlake Village on Thursday, April 30th from 5-7 PM. There, we will have Nathalie Gosset, Head of Marketing and Business Development at the Alfred E. Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering from USC, speak on “the Woman’s Brain and the Female Neuro Advantage.” So far, we have 83 members and are growing every day.
HC: It looks like you volunteer a lot! What has your favorite project been so far?
SR: Every volunteer project that I worked on has challenged my mind in a different way, allowed me to make a difference, and helped me collaborate with people who care about the community. I have two favorite projects: Mission Mojave with Blueprint Earth, which allowed me to do volunteer field research and learn beyond both the classroom and the lab, and the Community Service Center’s Alternative Summer Break Trip to Atlantic City, where I worked to restore homes destroyed by Hurricane Sandy.
HC: If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
SR: Too many people become disenchanted too fast. But the more I learn about the world, the more magical and miraculous it seems to be. Thus, if I could change anything, I would make the world stay enchanted with a healthy dose of rationality. Perhaps this way, they will be more motivated to live lives they find fulfilling and meaningful.
HC: If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?
SR: If I could trade places with someone for one day, I would trade places with one of the people who are in the first group of Mars astronauts- after they get to Mars. That would be far out!
HC: What is one thing a lot of people don’t know about you, but you think they should?
SR: One thing a lot of people do not know about me is that I have a knack for making and decorating cakes. A couple years ago, I baked a cake for my sister’s birthday party. It was lopsided. Then, when I worked with the frosting, the writing was partly illegible. When she saw it, my sister burst out laughing and said, “This is the best cake ever!” The next year, she told me to decorate her cake, but since I could not fit the words, “Happy Birthday, Malena” on the cake, I wrote, “Happy Day, Malena!” There are few things in this world which are more charming than a slightly-imperfect cake.
HC: Any lasting remarks?
SR: Stay enchanted!