Balancing academics, campus involvement, networking, and living in a new city is not without struggle. Zeina admitted that her journey was “not all flowers and sunshine” and particularly noted occasional feelings of homesickness, uncertainty about the future, and self-doubt.

“Sometimes you're capable of a lot of things, but our own fears limit us” Zeina reflects.

Fascinated by Dr. Shari Forbes’s research on taphonomy, the study of what happens between death and the discovery of remains, forensic anthropology became Marissa’s dream field. This dream quickly became reality when in year one of her degree, she discovered the Outstanding Scholar’s Program, a paid-research position, and got the job.