Christina Nielsen's

My name is Christina Nielsen and I am a senior Capstone Fellow at the University of South Carolina (UofSC), graduating in May 2020 with a major in Public Health and minors in Spanish and Neuroscience. I will also graduate with Leadership Distinction in Research.

​

I am originally from Waukesha, Wisconsin and came to UofSC eager for a change of pace and to take advantage of everything the Capstone Scholars Program had to offer. In May of my senior year of high school, I attended an information session about the Capstone Program led by Dr. Patrick Hickey (my now dear friend and mentor). After Dr. Hickey’s speech about personal challenges, a medical mission trip to Nicaragua, and his expedition to Mt. Everest, I was sold. I knew this program (and weather) was perfect for me. So, I drove 16 hours from southeastern Wisconsin to embark on a four-year journey.

​

Along with my venture as a Capstone Scholar and Fellow, I studied abroad four times to four different countries (Nicaragua, Spain, Costa Rica, and Guatemala), established a new Living Learning Community called Outdoor Adventure and Recreation (OAR), began to plan a trip to Mt. Everest for this community with support from stakeholders (until realizing for a first-year program, that was a bit too ambitious), led overnight backpacking trips for Outdoor Recreation, served the Latinx community through volunteering at The Good Samaritan Clinic, and more (see CV for more details). Of the four times I studied abroad, two of those times, once during my first year and once as a senior peer leader, were on medical mission trips with Dr. Hickey. During my Sophomore year, I studied abroad in Spain with the help of a competitive national scholarship (Benjamin A. Gilman). Finally, after my Junior year, I studied epidemiology for three weeks in Costa Rica with one of my research mentors, Dr. Myriam Torres.

​

Aside from international travel and outdoor adventures, which weave a multidisciplinary and integrative network of public health and Spanish educational experiences, research has been key to my growth and understanding of the world and my place in it. During my first year at UofSC, I knew I wanted to get involved in research, as I had worked the past two years with Dr. Robert Peoples as part of Students Modeling a Research Topic. The nature of this work included studying research, 3D modeling of proteins such as the P2X4 and NMDA receptors (see below) and presenting scientific posters. I thought I would end up in a neurobiology lab, as I had been introduced to in high school, but was open to any opportunity. This openness led me to apply for and receive a Magellan Apprentice grant my first semester at UofSC and work on my own epidemiological mental health project for the first two years. During the second half of my junior year, I began working in Dr. Jessica Green’s lab assisting with Electroencephalogram experiments where I began to develop more passion for neuroscience research.

​

This e-portfolio is a culmination of experiences that have led me to some “Key Insights” which you can navigate through the “Key Insights” tab or below:

​

1. The Importance of Multidisciplinary Thought in a Globalized World

2. Planning Promotes Progress, but Adaptability is Essential

3. Accessible Fundamental Research Helps Mitigate Misconceptions

​

My passion for public health, neuroscience, and Spanish, along with my research and volunteer work, led me to understand the importance of mental health and the lack of mental health resources in the Latino community across the world and Columbia, SC. I have used my Key Insights and connections to the Latino community to create a plan to develop and strengthen mental health resources in Columbia, SC. Read about it under my Leadership tab.

​

As an independent, self-reliant human being, I have discovered fortuitously the importance of integrative learning. I have studied outside of my private interests and have connected my knowledge to the realities of life daily. In these uncertain times surrounding the COVID-19 Pandemic, I am certain my continuous planning and pursuit of research-backed and multidisciplinary knowledge will serve me well in my future education endeavors.