I enjoyed getting to know Dr. Julia Felippe and Dr. Andre Kessler this week! Like in previous weeks, a lot of what they said resonated with me, from how they found their academic passions to their personal interests. For example, Dr. Felippe said that she developed a passion for working with animals early on in life and that this passion was kind of inexplicable. Dr. Kessler knew he wanted to be a biologist in fourth grade and noted that this determination saved him from making mistakes later on in life. I knew I wanted to study math from a young age, so it was nice to hear about their academic experiences growing up. It was also nice to hear about the fellows’ lives outside of the United States. For example, Dr. Felippe was born in San Paolo, Brazil, and Dr. Kessler grew up in Germany. I was born in the Philippines, so I found that I was able to connect with the fellows because we are all immigrants. I learned a lot about the countries they came from, too. I had no idea that in Brazil, it is commonplace to go to professional school right after school or that in Germany, students were recruited to join the military in tenth grade. I appreciated the career advice they gave, as well. Dr. Felippe said that your career is something you make throughout your life, not the result of one decision you make in college. I will definitely keep this advice in mind so that I don’t limit myself in what I can do in the future.