I still can't believe this happened today. Just two months into my journey at NYU Dentistry as an international student, my team won the Mock Congressional leadership program. Only about 5% of applicants got selected, so representing the Heritage Foundation in the Dean's Suite on the 11th floor was an incredible privilege.
I'll be honest—I was so nervous. I woke up early and practiced my lines repeatedly before meeting my team at school to rehearse. We had to speak against the Heads Up Act, and it was intense. A huge thank you to Dr. Stacy Ripkey and Dr. Valachovic for teaching us how to handle public speaking, and to Barbie Vartanian, Dr. Michael O'Connor, and Dr. Richard Valachovic for being an amazing panel.
Getting to meet Dean Charles Bertolami and the other leaders of NYU was unforgettable. I'm just so grateful for this dream team and this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
