Kayla Huber '16
Class Year
2016
Graduate Study
Kayla is the recipient of a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship to support her PhD studies in Psychology at the University of Minnesota
Why did you choose Lake Forest College?
As a first generation college student from a low income family, financial aid was a major deciding factor for me. I thought LFC's initial financial aid package was extremely generous, and I felt assured that my financial aid would continue for all four years. I also appreciated that LFC was a teaching institution with very small class sizes. At other colleges I had applied to, I got the impression that teaching was something that professors invested very little time into and would relegate to TAs if possible. Finally, I was drawn to LFC because there was an opportunity to major in neuroscience, which was not a major offered at many of the other colleges I had applied to.
What attracted you to the Neuroscience major?
During my senior year of high school, I was taking AP Biology and AP Psychology and I loved them both. I was excited to learn that I could major in neuroscience at LFC, since that would be a perfect blend of both of my interests. The first neuroscience class that I took at LFC was Medical Mysteries of the Mind with Dr. D. Every part of the class convinced me that I was in the right major - the expectations were high, we engaged with the material in so many different ways, and I met folks that I'm still friends with today (nearly a decade later!).
What are your career goals and how did the Lake Forest College help you achieve these goals?
Currently, my career goals are to be a psychologist and researcher. I believe that studying at LFC made me an extremely strong applicant for graduate school. As an undergraduate I had the opportunity to engage in research, present at conferences and symposia, lead organizations, be a tutor and peer teacher, publish in Eukaryon, write a senior thesis, and form close relationships with my professors.
How have the opportunities at the College helped shape your college experience?
I always felt engaged, challenged, connected, and busy, that's for sure!
What are some standout moments for you as a neuroscience major?
- Holding a human brain for the first time
- The "Our Amazing Brain" outreach
- Designing and running my own experiments in Research Methods & Statistics, Molecular Neuroscience, and Molecular Biology
- Brain Awareness Week
- Attending the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting
- My presentation of Nobel Prize winner Dr. Linda Buck's work for Senior Seminar
What advice would you give to a high school student looking to pursue neuroscience and is considering Lake Forest College?
Consider your future career path(s) early and often! Based on what you're aiming for, create a four-year individual development plan (IDP) and share it with your advisors/mentors. Whatever skills Future You will need to be successful, LFC and neighboring colleges/universities can help you develop them.
What is your current position or field of postgraduate study?
I am currently a Ph.D. Student in Counseling Psychology at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.