Mackenzie Klein is a senior majoring in honors molecular & cellular biology, with a minor in history. For the past several years, she has worked as a pricing intern for XIL Health, assisting on analytics team projects to analyze trends in pharmaceutical drug prices, and is also an LAS 122 intern. She is a member of Alpha Omicron Pi and has served as a director, a member of the executive team, and a member of the recruitment team. She is an undergraduate research assistant in the Ziv-Gal lab in the College of Veterinary Medicine, a lab which focuses on reproductive toxicology, specifically the impact of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on the female mammalian reproductive system. She is planning on attending medical school after her undergraduate studies.
I did not originally enter the University of Illinois as a James Scholar. In fact, I was not aware the LAS Honors program even existed until a semester into my freshman year. When I learned about all of the opportunities and benefits included with the program, I decided to self-nominate the summer after my freshman year. Looking back at it, this is one of the best choices I have made so far while at the U of I. The amount of connections I have made with staff and other students would not have been possible if I was not a James Scholar.
As a James Scholar, I have benefitted from more than just the early class registration times—I also gained a community I could turn to for friendship and help with studies. A few semesters ago, I was fortunate to be able to take a class called LAS 220: Leadership and Social Change. In this class, I was able to spend my spring break volunteering in New Orleans, helping various organizations and charities while learning about the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the surrounding area. Since this class was exclusive to James Scholars, I was able to meet fellow students in the program who were motivated to help others and succeed both inside and outside the classroom. In fact, I loved the experience and the people involved so much that I chose to become an LAS 122 intern so I could continue to immerse myself in the James Scholar community. In this position, I hope to be able to make a positive impact on newly admitted James Scholars while they experience their first semester at college. Because of these opportunities, I have been able to make a large university feel a lot smaller.
My advice to future James Scholars is to remember to record your points every semester. It is also important to keep in mind that you can easily get points for activities you are already doing outside of class. I also encourage getting involved in as many activities as you can handle, not just on campus but in the local community as well. It is never too late to get involved in any RSO, volunteer organization, or hobby that you find interesting! Being a James Scholar may seem intimidating, but it is one of the organizations I am most proud to be a part of. I encourage anyone interested to look into joining this incredible community.