I have always been fascinated with science. From playing in the dirt and studying the plants growing up out of the soil as a child, my interest in plant physiology has continued to grow. Since then I have had a passion for understanding microbiology and how cells grow from nutrients. When I was 17 I was diagnosed with Chron’s disease, which really impacted my life. I lost weight and many necessary nutrients in my body. I felt like I was falling apart. I went to the doctor and was told I would have to take many medications and possibly go through intravenous therapy. I tried the medicines for a year, but nothing worked for me. My symptoms were the same and I didn’t have many options. My situation inspired my research on nutraceuticals and the body’s balance of nutrition and cellular function. I wanted to understand how plants affected humans and what plant properties provided the human body nutritional benefit. I continued to meet with other doctors to explore all of the options, but after doing my own research and bettering my nutrition through a plant-based diet and supplementation, I was in remission after 1 year. Years later, I wanted to pursue jobs that could strengthen my knowledge in plant medicine, so I started working at local co-ops as a wellness staff member. My manager was very passionate about plant-based medicine as well and she took me under her wing to expand my knowledge on how whole plant products can treat many different ailments. I continued to learn more over the years, but I wanted to broaden my perspective of plant science and microbiology. This led me to my first two years of college in Asheville at AB technical college where I expanded my knowledge of basic biology and botany courses. Now I am graduating with my degree in Biology with a concentration in Microbiology at Winston Salem State University. The Biological Sciences Department has helped expand my knowledge of different focuses in Biology. I plan to pursue my research in nutraceuticals as well as my Ph.D. in Botany.