Mimi Mi (Hlaing)

Why you chose your major
 I really liked chemistry and learning about the human body through anatomy/physiology in high school, so I wanted to combine these two interests into my major, and it also aligns with what I want to go into. I chose a psychology minor because I found myself really enjoying the Biological Bases of the Brain unit in AP Psychology, I joined a neurobiology lab, then I took Brain and Behavior, which further solidified that I genuinely wanted this minor. I also have a deep passion for neuroscience and could talk about it all day, so that was another factor in why I wanted a psychology minor.

Favorite and/or most impactful course
 The class that has made the biggest impact on me is CHEM 253, which is the first organic chemistry class I've taken at UNL. I found it to be more fun than stressful, and it really solidified my feelings about being on my own path regardless of what other people say about it. It was part of why I had still hung onto being pre-pharm, even though I had changed to pre-med, and it exemplified to me how much I need to be making this decision completely on my own. This class reminded me how much I love chemistry and its applications to pharmacy, so it gave me a lot of introspection into what I really wanted to do. Right now, I am still pre-med because I can't imagine doing anything else in terms of my job, my lifestyle, and my overall happiness with the career I choose, that class made it hard to go completely pre-med. 

Research or internship experience
 I work as an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Ian W Keesey's lab, where I work primarily in the field of behavioral neurobiology. I work with observing Drosophila courtship behavior and analyzing the data collected not only for the neurobiology, but also for UNL's thematic challenges like climate resilience, science and technology literacy, and sustainable food and water security. I've been working in this lab since before my freshman year through a program called STEM-POWER, and have submitted my UCARE proposal a couple weeks ago. Last semester, I was also able to go on an all-expenses paid trip to Texas to present my research at a national conference and share my voice in science amongst the 4,000 other students. As for internships, I went to UNMC for a summer health program; this was when I was still on the pre-pharmacy track, but I still find value in it today. I loved getting to make connections and bond with other pre-health students, along with all the activities provided and a little change of scenery. My favorite things we did would probably have to be going to the Omaha zoo, learning how to administer vaccines, iEXCEL's surgical simulations, visiting UNMC College of Pharmacy's compounding rooms, visting Fontenelle Forest, and watching shows in the media room.

Other involvement
 I am a volunteer ambassador and I have recently signed up as a volunteer at Bryan Hospital. Other service opportunities include signing up for volunteer events through VolunteerLNK, Engage Lincoln, or the volunteer digest emails I receive; I've volunteered for NMDP, Linked2Literacy, and UNL events as well. Speaking of volunteering, I am also the service chair in my sorority, Delta Xi Nu Multicultural Sorority, Inc.; I organize volunteer events for the sorority. I am the treasurer who handles the money, collects dues, gets my sisters reimbursed when necessary, organizes fundraisers, and goes to exec meetings to help make decisions that would push the sorority forward. I am also the intake chair, which handles recruiting and often reaches out to interested candidates to answer any questions they may have.

Why you chose Nebraska
 After living in Malaysia for the first few years of my life, I immigrated to Lincoln, Nebraska and I chose to go to UNL because it's an R1 research institution, it's a diverse, well-rounded school, and it was very affordable.

Student Ambassadors are undergraduate students who talk to prospective students, parents, alumni, and the general public about the college.