This year marked my third time attending SACNAS, and somehow it still didn’t cease to amaze me. I’ll be honest, coming in, I was nervous. I kept hearing about conferences struggling with low industry attendance, and I worried this year might not be as meaningful. And yes, there were definitely more universities than companies, but even with that, I still made valuable connections and discovered internship and training opportunities that genuinely aligned with my interests. What stood out the most, though, was witnessing my own growth through the lens of this conference.

My first year at SACNAS, I had just pivoted from business and marketing into STEM and didn’t know much about anything technical. I was mainly looking for programs willing to take a chance on someone with zero experience. By year two, I was searching for graduate programs and ended up stumbling across the UC Berkeley MA Statistics table. I was drawn in immediately, especially when a student with a background similar to mine told me their story and all about the program. I remember thinking, “I would love to be on the other side of the table one day.” Little did I know, a year later that would actually be me. Being a peer ambassador this year was such a full circle moment, and it brought me so much joy to encourage prospective students, reassure them through the doubts I once had myself, and help them believe in what’s possible.

Outside of representing Berkeley, I also had the chance to network for my own career path. I connected with companies and met Black women working in the biopharmaceutical and health data space, a field I aspire to join. Hearing them talk about making clinical and population-level data more representative, and about actively advocating for communities who are historically left out of drug trials, hit me in a very personal way. Seeing people who look like me doing work that aligns with my own purpose and values gave me the exact boost I needed. Even though this graduate program has been challenging, especially coming in without a heavily technical background, the conversations I had at SACNAS reminded me why I can’t give up. The moments in class where I feel like I don’t belong are exactly the reason I need to keep going. If the doors I want to walk through require this level of training, then I am capable of learning it.

One standout interaction was with Tanya Brown from Merck, who spoke life into me in a way I didn’t expect. She saw my potential immediately and urged me to apply without hesitation. That conversation alone reaffirmed that my journey, even with all its challenges, is not only worth it but necessary.

In the end, SACNAS didn’t just give me opportunities. It gave me clarity. It reminded me where I started, how far I’ve come, and why I’m pushing forward.