Sydney Maxa is a third year from Cedar Rapids, Iowa majoring in interdepartmental studies, with a multidisciplinary sciences emphasis and is in the pre-dentistry track.

What is your favorite memory from the University of Iowa?

My favorite memory is the first time I attended the Science Library's Foundations of Biology study session on the first Sunday of the Fall semester. I was debating on attending the session at all, but I knew that Foundations was going to be a difficult class and I needed to know the resources I could use in the future. That Sunday completely altered my experiences at Iowa! Only two other students attended that session, so all three of us decided to go to Starbucks after to get to know each other. After that, we began to hang out as friends outside of classes. Those were the first two friends I made at Iowa, and they also introduced me to my now-boyfriend! I also ended up with an A in the class because of all the help I received through the Science Library

What would like to see changed in the world during your lifetime?

I hope to see healthcare and healthcare professionals prioritize sympathy and acceptance in the future when it comes to patients of all backgrounds. Many different underrepresented minorities, such as people of color and people with low income, disproportionately struggle to receive accurate and helpful medical aid when they need it. Healthcare should only be about giving people the help they need- I hope the next generation of healthcare professionals and healthcare administrators focus on fixing this issue, and giving more people confidence in the healthcare system.

If you could choose one superpower, what would it be?

I would love to time travel without leaving unintended consequences! I would go to different eras and places in time, and just experience what life was like at different times. I think my first stop would be Ancient Rome during the Ciceronian era.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In ten years, I hope I am working at my own clinic, combining my two passions of education and dentistry. I hope the dental clinic I own is helping people of all backgrounds, and I hope that I am giving future dental students access to my clinic to shadow and learn about the career. That is the dream, but really I am happy as long as I have love in my life and I am dedicating my time to helping others in the future.

What is a fun fact that no one knows about you?

I am learning Latin through the University of Iowa! Ego Iowa amo!

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