Last month, students with the top grades in each of the College of Science academic programs were honored with a luncheon. The Westfall Scholars Luncheon, hosted by and named for the founding dean of the College of Science, David Westfall, provides students an opportunity to thank their mentors, family and friends as they reflect on their undergraduate years.

Each Westfall Scholar identifies a faculty mentor who supported them through their undergraduate years. This year's mentors are Julie Allen, Patrick Arnott, Megan Beckham, Christopher Blair, Gideon Caplovitz, Jessie Clark, John McCormack, Samuel Odoh and Anna Panorska.

In overcoming various challenges while maintaining excellent grades, these students embody The Wolf Pack Way. Learn more about each of the successful graduates in the Q and A below.

Samson Stynen, Biology

What are your plans after graduating?

After graduation I am planning on continuing on to grad school for entomology conservation. My goal is to conduct research and turn it into a curriculum using a large, real dataset for middle and high school science courses.

What is the most important piece of advice you’d give to an incoming college freshman?

My advice for students of any age is to get involved (join a club, a lab, a community center, a conference, or a sport), don't get stuck on just one thing, and don't be afraid to ask for help.

Where do you see yourself in fifteen years?

In fifteen years, I hope to be an educator or researcher of science in some realm, I hope to have been traveling more, and I hope to be continuing my own education in some way.

Brittney Ryun, Chemistry

What are your plans after graduating?

After graduating this winter, I plan to teach part-time at a local community college this spring before attending the University of Nevada, Reno once again next fall to obtain my master's of science in chemistry. I also plan to read all the books I have collected but haven't had time to read during my undergrad.

What is the most important piece of advice you’d give to an incoming college freshman?

To the incoming freshman - there's nothing that you can't accomplish when you set your mind to it. Take it all one step at a time. Failure is part of life and does not define you, what does is the choice to stand back up afterwards and keep on keeping on.

Where do you see yourself in fifteen years?

In fifteen years, I'm planning on obtaining a full-time position teaching chemistry at a community college somewhere. I also hope to be married with two dogs and lots of kids.

Anders Krakar, Geological Sciences & Engineering

What are your plans after graduating?

I'm going to take some time off and try to figure out what's best for me.

What is the most important piece of advice you’d give to an incoming college freshman?

My most important advice is that it’s okay to take things slow, and if you’re struggling, ask for help. We as a society often promote the narrative that if you’re not pushing yourself past your limits then you’re being lazy. It’s not true. Everyone has physical and mental limits, and some people’s limits are lower than others. There’s nothing wrong with needing more time and stepping back to take care of yourself. If that means taking longer to graduate, so be it. You’ll get there eventually.

Where do you see yourself in fifteen years?

I have no idea. I know where I'd like to be, and where I worry I'll be, but where I'll actually be? There's only one way to find out, and it's to keep moving forward, one day at a time.

Seth Freedman-Peel, Geography

What are your plans after graduating?

The next chapter of my life involves taking to the skies and moving forward in my aviation journey to flying cargo commercially. I have been flying skydivers and flight instructing my last few semesters at school. Still, the next step is to move on toward bigger planes and a stable career path that will hopefully conclude with me working at one of the legacy major airlines (United, Delta, or American). But first, I will take some well-needed rest and then look forward to returning and getting my master's in geography at some point in the future!

What is the most important piece of advice you’d give to an incoming college freshman?

My best advice for an incoming freshman is to recognize that college, and indeed life, is a marathon and not a sprint. It's no good to put all your energy into the first two years only to find that you are burnt out and can't continue for the next few. Secondly, do not be afraid of uncertainty and be willing to change course when an opportunity arises. I was undeclared for the first two years so that I could see what major best fit into my passion for learning and ended up choosing a major I knew nothing about before starting college. Be kind and patient with yourself and give yourself the same grace that you would give a friend or a family member when you don't meet expectations for yourself.

Where do you see yourself in fifteen years?

In fifteen years, I hope to be settled into my flying career, married to my current partner with a few kids with whom I will share my love and passion for learning and life to the best of my ability. I also hope that circumstances allow for me to come back to school to get my master's in geography and if that goes well my Ph.D. as well. Most of all I hope to be celebrating what will be my 20th year in recovery from drug addiction because, without that, everything else is meaningless.

Lisa Soule, Mathematics and Statistics

What are your plans after graduating?

After graduation, I plan on staying at my job in retail while I explore different philanthropic organizations to work with in Lake Tahoe. I want to make a difference in my community and help those in need.

What is the most important piece of advice you’d give to an incoming college freshman?

Utilize all of your school's resources. The University of Nevada, Reno has great academic services like the math center, tutoring center, and writing center to name a few. If you find yourself stuck on an assignment it is always helpful to have a fresh perspective from another person. Also, take advantage of the services that help round out your day-to-day like the fitness center and counseling through the Downing Counseling Clinic. Make connections and reach out for help! You’ll find that the comfort and support you receive will make the college experience more connected, meaningful and memorable!

Where do you see yourself in fifteen years?

Pouring myself into a community-serving organization, writing books, making art, skiing, hiking, kayaking, cooking and creating more meaningful memories with my family, friends, and husband, Steve!

Kaviny Giritharan, Microbiology & Immunology

What are your plans after graduating?

I pursued a dual degree and earned a degree in microbiology and immunology and another degree in secondary education. Throughout my time at the University of Nevada, Reno, I was able to learn that I loved science, research and medicine. I also found that I enjoyed teaching and engaging students with science. I am preparing to apply to medical school in the next upcoming cycle, while taking a gap year to be a high school teacher.

What is the most important piece of advice you’d give to an incoming college freshman?

I think the most important piece of advice that I would give a college freshman is to push yourself but never put too much on your plate. I think as students that study science and math, we have a tendency to push ourselves to overwork but that can have long term effects in the end. It is important to take care of yourself and balance your education with other activities that you enjoy.

Where do you see yourself in fifteen years?

In fifteen years, I am hoping to be a physician. My goal is to become a pediatric oncologist. In the near future, I’d like to complete medical school, residency and a fellowship in order to practice as a physician to help treat children with cancer.

Madalyn Sawatzky, Neuroscience

What are your plans after graduating?

After graduating, I plan to continue my education at optometry school to earn my doctorate. I am very excited to pursue a career where I can help improve the quality of life of my patients and utilize all that I have learned throughout my schooling.

What is the most important piece of advice you’d give to an incoming college freshman?

The biggest piece of advice I can give to incoming college freshmen is to take advantage of any opportunities that are available. Whether this be in terms of academic or social events, you never know what connections you can make or what passions you can find. College allows you to explore your own interests so utilize any opportunity you can.

Where do you see yourself in fifteen years?

In fifteen years, I hope to be the owner of my own optometry office where I am able to continue to give back to the community. I hope to be able to continue seeing patients while also running a business. I would also love to travel as much as possible and start a family.

Michael Sandink, Physics

What are your plans after graduating?

After graduation, I am going to take some time off of school and enter the workforce while continuing to develop skills as an audio engineer and musician. I'm going to take a crack at that whole industry.

What is the most important piece of advice you’d give to an incoming college freshman?

Not to let yourself get in the way of your opportunities. This includes discussing questions and research opportunities with professors, getting involved on campus, making friends, etc., even if you are uncomfortable with it. College is a place for growth and self-development as much as it is for academic learning.

Where do you see yourself in fifteen years?

It's hard to say specifically where I see myself so far out in the future. So many things could happen that would radically change my path in life. While a little generic, in fifteen years I only hope to see myself wiser than I am today and living a sustainable and healthy life, all without the burden of dedicating my limited time here to something I don't find fulfilling.

Alexis McGuire, Psychology

What are your plans after graduating?

After graduation, I intend on continuing my education into graduate school by next fall into the University of Nevada, Reno’s Master of Public Health Program, under the health and administration policy specialization, and in the meantime, working towards finding internships and volunteer opportunities related to public health. I am also looking forward to traveling internationally for the first time, in order to see the world and to expand my perspectives on life and others around me. After completion of graduate school, I would also like to become a peace corps professional volunteer, in order to support programs and efforts related to public health in other countries, and to also broaden my viewpoints of other cultures and countries in a professional manner. In the future, I plan on working within the public health field as a public health analyst in order to influence the programs and policies that are being put into place in order to support my community’s health and well-being, and to later on return to academia so that I can guide and support other students just like me in their career journeys.

What is the most important piece of advice you’d give to an incoming college freshman?

The most important piece of advice that I would offer to incoming freshmen is to go with what feels right to you. It's hard to ignore the pressures that you may have from others like your parents or peers to follow a certain path, but it's important to remember that in the end, you are the only one living your life, so why waste the limited time we do have on something that isn’t serving your sense of purpose? Another thing that I would offer is, to take courses in a variety of subjects that are new or interesting to you that you have never considered before. You may just find something you never expected that you can imagine as being your future career. When I first started my journey here at the University of Nevada, Reno, I was a double major in psychology and criminal justice with the intent of going to law school and becoming a criminal defense lawyer, but here I am just 3.5 years later with plans of going into the field of public health and pursuing a master’s and potentially a Ph.D. in the field instead. My point is, don’t limit yourself just to one idea or set career path from the very beginning. Life is messy, and the only way to grow and to figure out what you enjoy is to learn to try new things, and to also learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Where do you see yourself in fifteen years?

In fifteen years, I imagine myself as a completely different person from the one that I am today. Something I find beautiful about the process of aging is that you learn to grow and adapt to the person you need to be at any given moment. Thus, the person and habits that I am today won’t serve the person I would need to be as my 36-year-old self (wow that’s weird to think about) because that would mean that I haven’t learned from all of my life experiences up until then. In my personal life, I have intentions to build a family, with a dog and maybe a cat, and to also have a lake house somewhere surrounded by mountains, and with endless possibilities for outdoor activities. On a more professional scale, I imagine myself having received my master’s degree, and potentially a Ph.D. within public health, and working within the field as some type of health director or lead policy analyst and making great change in the health of my communities. Also, I see myself as either getting started or having written a book of some kind by then, as that is one of my major career goals. I think the possibility of having lived internationally is another goal of mine that I can see myself doing within the next fifteen years. Overall, a characteristic of mine that I value very highly, is to be a curious and involved lifelong learner, so I plan on making this a quality of my life and in my future career within the next fifteen years and beyond.