Sydney Ciechanowicz

Say ‘Yes’ to every opportunity, even the ones that seem uncertain—every experience, challenge and detour will shape you in ways you never expected. College flies by, so embrace the moments, take chances and make the most of it while it lasts.

Many students would focus on the prestige of graduating with a triple major, and yet Sydney has always been most interested in the practical and research applications of knowledge gained from coursework. When I first met Sydney, she was excited about the lab she had just joined. Her interest and skill backpacking were a perfect fit for the PI’s data collection in a remote area. And the research was on microbes in hydrothermal environments and their potential relevance to life on other planets, a key interest for Sydney. Through the years, Sydney has excelled in STEM and credit-heavy semesters, presented scientific research posters, become published in a peer-reviewed journal, created her own non-credit abroad experience, and maintained humor and humility. She even took a few extra courses this semester to challenge herself academically and to help prepare for graduate school. Altogether, she is an exceptional person and outstanding multidisciplinary problem-solver.