Reflecting on my freshman year at the University of Cincinnati as a Computer Science major, I can confidently say that my decision to travel 10,000 miles from India to attend college was unquestionably worthwhile. The experiences and opportunities that unfolded throughout the year have left me immensely grateful.

Shortly after settling into campus life, I eagerly joined the CEAS Tribunal as an intern within the Engineering Students Organization Council (ESOC). In this role, I assumed several responsibilities, such as crafting the weekly newsletter, collaborating with various student organizations, and raising awareness about critical issues like space allocation, funding, and club engagement. I also contributed to the organization of the research fair, which entailed inviting esteemed faculty members from the College of Engineering and Applied Science to share their research and interact with students. Due to my dedication and commitment, I am now serving as the ESOC chair for the summer and fall semesters, presenting me with additional avenues to contribute to the CEAS Tribunal.

Furthermore, I had the privilege of working under the guidance of Dr. Sameh A. Eisa, an Assistant Professor in Aerospace Engineering, where I actively participated in his research on enhancing sensors for ground and flying robots. My responsibilities included installing and configuring packages on a TurtleBot using Linux, ensuring its seamless operation. I also implemented various strategies to facilitate the TurtleBot's movement along specific paths, gaining invaluable experience in tackling complex problems within a professional environment.

In addition to my academic pursuits, I enrolled in the Development and Leadership Program (DLP) at TEDx Cincinnati. This intensive two-semester training program was designed to enhance my communication and leadership abilities. As part of this program, I had the opportunity to deliver a TED-style talk on the topic of "Mindset," refining my skills in conveying ideas effectively and concisely. Additionally, I collaborated with other team members in organizing the "If You Know You Know" mainstage event, providing constructive criticism to speakers and facilitating confidence-building exercises.

Alongside these endeavors, I dedicated my time as a Student Orientation Leader for the University of Cincinnati, assisting over 200 students in their transition to UC, thereby contributing to increased admittance rates. In this role, I ensured the smooth execution of orientation activities and served as a mentor to incoming students and their families, offering guidance on campus services. Moreover, at the UC Campus Recreation Center, I began as a member services staff member and swiftly earned a promotion to the position of member services lead within two months. Continually striving to enhance students' experiences at the Rec, I provided training and support to fellow staff members, empowering them to deliver their best performance. I was also actively involved in conducting interviews to recruit new members to the department.

Above all, I hold a strong belief in the significance of giving back to society and making a positive impact. Throughout my freshman year, I have been grateful for the opportunities I have had to develop and refine my leadership, communication, and team management skills.

Looking back, my freshman year at the University of Cincinnati has been transformative. The challenges I encountered, the achievements I celebrated, and the connections I forged have collectively contributed to my growth as a student and an individual. I eagerly anticipate the coming years and the continued pursuit of excellence within the university honors program.

In the past year, my experience as a Student Orientation Leader (SOL) during the summer of 2023 has significantly impacted my personal, academic, and professional goals and life trajectory. Initially, I was hesitant about taking on the role due to doubts about my social energy. However, I went through the interview process, cleared all four rounds, and ultimately chose to be an SOL over pursuing a research opportunity. As an aspiring engineer, I recognized the importance of developing effective communication and leadership skills alongside my technical abilities.

My summer as an SOL turned out to be the most transformative, productive, and growth-filled period of my time at UC. I learned the importance of discipline, effective communication, and leadership. The routine, from waking up at 6 AM sharp to clocking out at 5 PM, taught me to trust the process and give my best effort even when faced with monotony and frustration. I also learned to motivate and support my fellow SOLs, creating a strong sense of teamwork.

The first month and a half consisted of intensive training on campus resources from various departments such as the Women's Center, LGBTQ+ Center, and Rec Center. Following this training, the real challenge began with the actual orientation sessions. Our team of 26 SOLs worked together to cater to the needs of over 8,000 students and their parents, ensuring they felt welcomed and informed about the resources available at UC. Our efforts were recognized and appreciated by President Pinto at the Cincinnati vs. Eastern Kentucky University football game at Nippert Stadium.

As an SOL, my responsibilities included welcoming new students and family members to UC, leading discussion groups, assisting in the preparation and organization of orientation activities, explaining academic opportunities and procedures, acquainting new students and their families with the campus and its services, conducting both day and evening sessions, supporting a diverse team of SOLs, and sharing my UC experience. These responsibilities helped me build and sharpen my leadership abilities, communication skills, and self-confidence. Graduates of the SOL training program form a dynamic, well-connected, and close-knit group of student leaders who are highly respected and successful in their future endeavors.

Looking ahead, I am committed to further developing my communication and leadership skills while continuing to build on my technical expertise. In the next year, I plan to take on more leadership roles, engage in research projects, and seek internships in engineering to enhance my practical experience. My ultimate goal is to become a well-rounded engineer who can effectively lead teams and contribute to innovative solutions in my field.

In the past year, my participation in the BioRaMP research program has profoundly influenced my personal, academic, and professional goals. I was part of the Heart Institute Research Core (HIRC) group led by Dr. Danny Wu at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Our project aimed to assist doctors and researchers by efficiently storing their research data through a web application. This project, called the HIRC Connect Web Portal, was developed using Python Flask, CSS, HTML, and JavaScript. Despite my initial lack of proficiency with the tech stack, my eagerness to learn and contribute kept me motivated. Regular standup calls and client feedback sessions helped me enhance my collaborative coding skills, effectively communicate my ideas, and apply critical thinking.

The project involved intensive collaboration with another undergraduate research assistant, Dr. Wu, and two project managers. We followed the SCRUM Agile project management framework, which included iterative development and frequent standups, ensuring continuous improvement and user-centered design. This approach significantly contributed to our project's success, demonstrating that Agile methodologies are highly effective in managing software projects within clinical research. Our team was one of the few to implement Agile PM in clinical research, which not only improved our workflow but also led to near-completion of the HIRC Connect portal.

Initially, I faced challenges and often struggled with simple tasks, but over time, I became an integral part of the team, handling more complex responsibilities. The process of integrating Scrum allowed us to meet user needs more effectively, as we continuously iterated based on feedback. This experience taught me the importance of discipline, teamwork, and perseverance. It also allowed me to develop problem-solving skills by addressing real-world challenges in healthcare technology.

Looking forward, I aim to continue developing my skills in health informatics research, focusing on full-stack development and project management. I plan to take on more leadership roles, engage in advanced research projects, and seek internships to gain practical experience. My ultimate goal is to become a proficient engineer with strong leadership capabilities, ready to tackle real-world challenges in the healthcare technology sector.

My academic and professional goals for the next year include continuing my involvement with the HIRC Connect project and further developing my technical and leadership skills. I also plan to seek internships that align with my interests in health informatics and software development, aiming to apply my skills in real-world settings and gain valuable industry experience. Through these experiences, I hope to solidify my path toward becoming a well-rounded engineer capable of making significant contributions to the healthcare technology field.

Over the past year, I've had the opportunity to immerse myself in experiences that have deeply influenced my personal growth, technical capabilities, and career aspirations. While several highlights stand out—ranging from research to teaching, internships, and student leadership—joining Bearcat Ventures (BV) has been the most defining and trajectory-shaping experience so far.

In Spring 2024, I participated in the BioRaMP research program, my first formal research assistantship. I worked under Dr. Danny Wu at Cincinnati Children's Hospital on a health informatics web portal, contributing both technically and through project management using Agile methods. This experience strengthened my collaborative skills, exposed me to clinical data systems, and helped me grow from a hesitant contributor to a confident developer. Simultaneously, I served as a Teaching Assistant for CS 1021C, where I led lab sessions for 200+ students in C++, designed instructional content with faculty, and received the Teaching Assistant of the Year award. These roles helped reinforce my understanding of computer science fundamentals, while also solidifying my interest in mentoring and leadership.

During Summer 2024, I interned as a Data Engineering/Machine Learning intern, where I worked across hardware simulation, prompt engineering for LLMs, and full-stack development using Python, React, GraphQL, and PostgreSQL. This hands-on work helped me gain real-world experience applying AI in both consumer-facing and R&D contexts, adding another layer of versatility to my technical toolkit.

But the most transformative experience came when I joined Bearcat Ventures, UC's student-led $1M venture capital fund. What began as a curiosity turned into a semester-long training program that met weekly for 3–5 hours. We dove deep into the VC world—learning to read cap tables, conduct market analysis, evaluate competition, and perform due diligence. Our training culminated in a simulated investment pitch to professional VC Joe Marushack, which I successfully passed, officially joining the fund.

While my start was scheduled for Spring 2025, I volunteered early and contributed to our biggest investment yet—$100K in Sense Neuro Diagnostics, a startup developing a life-saving diagnostic headset. As part of the partner team, I participated in due diligence throughout winter break, learning the rigor and responsibility of allocating capital.

Since then, I've conducted diligence on three more startups, sourced three deals (including BV's first in space tech from a UC alum in San Francisco), restarted and redesigned our newsletter, and helped plan our NYC networking trip by cold-outreaching to leading VCs—one of whom manages a $1B fund and gave us invaluable mentorship. The best part? In Fall 2025, I'll either be leading the training committee that shaped me or directing our deal flow efforts—a full-circle moment, just one year after my own training began.

What makes Bearcat Ventures so special to me is the people—driven, collaborative, and visionary—and the access it gives me to the broader Cincinnati startup ecosystem. As someone who dreams of launching my own company one day, this network and these experiences have been invaluable. I've grown not only as a technical thinker but as a strategic and market-aware decision-maker—skills I now use regularly when evaluating product-market fit or helping early-stage founders.

In the next year, my goals are to deepen my exposure to venture capital and early-stage startups, potentially through a VC analyst internship, and to continue developing as a technical founder-in-training. I plan to pursue another research experience in AI/ML, push myself on the LeetCode grind for internship prep, and build real-world side projects to solidify my engineering foundation. Whether it's leading a team at BV or building my own product, I want to stay at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and impact.

This past year has clarified what excites me—and that's solving real problems with great people. Every experience, from the lab to the boardroom, has helped shape the founder, engineer, and leader I hope to become.

This year felt like a lot of threads finally connecting. Venture, research, and building kept overlapping, and by the end I had a clearer sense of what I actually want to spend my senior year on.

Bearcat Ventures was a big part of the first half. I moved up to Associate in the fall and General Partner in the spring, where I led a partner group of five analysts and spent most of my time getting them ready for the next wave of BV leadership. The work that stuck with me most was leading diligence on Gimbal Space, pitching it to our investment committee, and getting it approved; BV's first investment in a Bay Area startup. That was the first time I felt what it means to argue for real capital, not just a good slide deck. We also placed second at VCIC regionals at CMU, BV's first podium finish in three years, and later helped host the first VCIC ever held at UC at 1819, with five universities on campus. I stepped back from BV after spring to focus more on research, but I'm still carrying what I got from it: how to read a company, how to present under pressure, and a network of founders and investors I wouldn't have met otherwise.

Research is where things really clicked. I went back to India over the summer and put in time on the math behind ML, not just tutorials. I built a small transformer from scratch (tweetpredictiontransformer.vercel.app) mostly to convince myself I understood what was happening inside the model. That helped when I joined the CincyNLP Lab in the fall. Sitting in lab meetings and hearing how people talk about their work pulled me toward mechanistic interpretability, the idea that if you want to know whether a model is safe you probably need to look at what it's actually doing internally, not just what it outputs. I read a lot, asked a lot of questions, and by October I was collaborating on a probing study that ended up at ACL Main. I'm still in the lab working on AI safety and alignment, and I did BlueDot's safety course to give that work some structure.

I didn't stop building. memARy placed third at Cal Hacks on the Snap AR track. Kite came out of an OpenAI OSS hackathon with SoarAI Labs. My co-op at Kinetic Vision's ML team had me building CV automations for Fortune 500 clients, which was a good reminder that ML outside a class project has deadlines, stakeholders, and things that actually need to work.

Looking ahead, research is the main priority. I want to push toward a first-author paper at a major mechanistic interpretability venue, something I can put in front of other researchers and that sets me up if I go the grad school route. I'm still figuring out exactly what that looks like, but the direction is clear: more experiments, more writing, more time in the lab. I was also accepted to YC's Startup School 2026, the in-person gathering in SF this July (events.ycombinator.com/startup-school-2026). I'm not trying to split myself across ten things anymore, but I do want to stay close to the builder and startup side; the connections from BV, hackathons, and projects like Kite are part of who I am, and Startup School feels like a good way to stay in that world without it eating my research time.

Senior year, I want to make the most of all three: deeper research, more hackathons when something sounds fun, and keeping side projects alive when they solve a real problem. I work best around people who care about the work itself, whether that's debugging a probe, shipping a demo before a deadline, or talking through an idea at 1 a.m. That's what I want more of this year.