Martiza Kickstarts STEM Degree
Maritza started her academic journey in STEM in high school, following her curiousity to the labs at UW-Green Bay. Coming to campus to build confidence, learn, and mentor students like her has jumpstarted her college career as a first-year student. In the video below, Maritza tells her story starting at Green Bay West High School and finding community as a commuting first-year Human Biology student.
Transcript: In 8th grade, I joined Serious About STEM. It’s a club full of empowered women that are curious and intrigued by the STEM. They also brought to me the opportunity to be part of the Tiny Earth project. Being able to come to UWGB and do a research in soil to find antibiotics was really life-changing, especially being a junior in high school. Because I was able to work in a lab and grow my confidence in a lab. I was able to connect with one of the professors. He influenced me to come to UWGB, more than I was already convinced to come. He offered me a TA position to be able to help future Green Bay West High School students go through the progress that I did. I fell in love with the campus and I always wanted to be near home and Green Bay is home, so I decided to come to UWGB. I was part of the new Rising Scholars Program. I got assigned a mentor that helped me navigate my first year through college. You can always be part of the campus being a commuter. You just have to find your space. You have to find your clubs and you have to find your friends and find what you like. I’m able to get support from my family and it’s really nice being able to be close to home. I get to meet a lot of students that are also going the Human Bio major route. We got a lot closer and our friend group grew a lot bigger because we all struggled through the class together and we all helped each other. If I were to start UWGB today, I would tell my younger self that you shouldn’t be afraid. You shouldn’t hide because once you get to know other people and you get to meet professors and you come out of your shell, it’s a lot smoother, it’s a lot funner. I really like my class and my first-year experience.
