Meet Isabelle!! by Isabelle Hills

TRIP has ignited my intellectual curiosity and introduced me to many new concepts in the three weeks since it has begun. I can't wait to learn more!

Hello! I’m Isabelle Hills, and I am a senior at Friends Select in the center of Philly. I live about half an hour away from the city in Haddonfield, NJ with my mom, who is a social worker for adults with developmental delays, and also Aldan, PA with my dad, who is a primary care physician. Growing up with parents working in the healthcare field has shaped my outlook on life. Value has always been placed on caring for others, and it has shown me that there are many ways to do that. I want to take my interest and passion in the scientific realm and use it to help people and make a difference on a broader scale. 

I applied to the TRIP program to help me explore my scientific interests and further my passion for scientific discovery. Through the exploration of various scientific fields of study, I have found that I am drawn to biology. It makes sense of the complex interactions underlying our daily experiences that are needed to survive. It also provides a platform to interface with other fields and make a difference in our lives. ​

While I love biology, I also have a variety of other interests and hobbies. Of course, I love to hang out with my friends, which I haven't been able to do that much this year because of COVID. I also enjoy singing in my school choir (and pretty much everywhere else), participating in engaging discussions with the Black Student Union (BSU), and playing on school sports teams. I’ve played soccer all throughout high school and, even though I'm not the best on the team, have loved seeing myself and other teammates grow. I also swam for most of high school, but took a break in junior year to try something new and play squash! I also enjoy teaching myself the ukulele, getting lost in poetry, and playing with visual arts. I especially appreciate the art of typography, calligraphy, and page design, and I love incorporating these into my academic work. Words and information are powerful, but design allows people to convey their thoughts in a captivating way. I love incorporating my love of design, BSU, music, sports, and writing into all my scientific endeavors.  

I am excited to continue my journey in the TRIP program because I thrive on thinking collaboratively and having a community of equally passionate peers. TRIP has ignited my intellectual curiosity and introduced me to many new concepts in the three weeks since it has begun. I can't wait to learn more!