I’m a senior at the University of Florida hailing from Miramar, FL. I love my family, friends, and exploring what the world has to offer through travel and food. I’ve had the pleasure of studying abroad and serving the community through my involvements such as being a PAACT Peer Leader, Secretary for my chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and a Director of BSU’s Leadership Development Institute. Despite the lack of accessibility to many things throughout campus, I can truly say that my experience would not be what it is without the amazing people that inhabit UF, from students, faculty, and staff. I have a recent diagnosis of ADHD along with my enduring General Anxiety Disorder and Depression. It has been quite the journey for me here at UF. From struggling to be seen at the CWC for counseling, unable to get into the DRC and Psychiatry, insurance and financial obstacles with outsourced providers, and a few medical drops. I have never been afraid to ask for the help that I knew I needed but it hurts, even more, to be told that there is nothing your institution can do for you due to a lack of resources and staffing. I went almost a year searching for affordable testing and being on the CWC waitlist so that I could acquire results to allow me to receive the accommodations I need to succeed in my academics. In retrospect, my GPA and peace of mind could have been spared if I was able to get the help I desperately needed sooner. But, I’m proud to say that I never gave up and that all my hard work and finesse have paid off. I am going into my final semester of undergrad and financials are extremely tight. I’ve run out of Florida Prepaid and Bright Futures. I’ve had roommate issues making my housing situation very limited. I’ve resorted to living in a 1x1 apartment to combat triggering my anxiety due to my past experiences with my roommates. I’ve been working tirelessly throughout the summer to save up for rent to ensure I do not have any issues but there is still a lack of funds. I also am in search of a job for the fall to help support myself, but it’s been very difficult to find work with the current economic climate- a recession. The university has aided me throughout the years during rough times like this and I’m hoping for some final assistance as I strive to close out this chapter of my life and become Maryum Salim Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from The University of Florida. I've always enjoyed asking questions and using my problem-solving skills. Once I was exposed to biology and medicine I knew that Biomedical Engineering was the field for me. Post graduation I hope to pursue a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering to continue asking the questions that need experiments and research to obtain. I love the label setting and collaborating with colleagues to reach a common goal, especially one that will eventually lead to discoveries that can save lives.