Â鶹ÊÓƵ

Hello! My name is Hannah Besse, and I am graduating from CU Boulder this fall with a degree in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, a minor in Geography, and a certificate in Public Health. Upon graduation, I will be moving to Fort Collins, Colorado to pursue a position with the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment as a COVID-19 Outbreak Investigator. I will always value my time at CU Boulder, as well as in the Honors Scholars Program, as I gained beneficial and cherished experiences that will help me in my career and throughout life.

I'm so excited to be graduating from the College of Arts and Sciences with a major in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, magna cum laude! During my time here at CU, I was also a Student Ambassador for the College of A&S as well as an undergraduate researcher in the Palmer Biochemistry Lab. A huge congratulations to all the other graduating seniors as well. CU around!

As a double major in English (Creative Writing) and Media Production, Alaynah Penalosa explored numerous modes of storytelling through a wide range of mediums. Though Alaynah primarily intended to write in prose fiction, she also found her voice in photography and videography. Alaynah further cultivated her interests through the Honors Program, where she especially enjoyed the tight-knit community she encountered in the discussion-based courses she took. Her conversations with professors and classmates eventually led to her interests in social change and ethnic representation. Her favorite memory with the Honors Program was writing nonfiction pieces with graphic novel elements in Dr. Olivia Miller's writing course, Ink Slingers and Wordsmiths. Working on these projects helped Alaynah develop new approaches to telling her own story, and she realized the importance of learning about her own heritage as a Filipino-American. With the lessons she gained through her studies, Alaynah hopes to continue developing her voice as a media artist.