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This September our One of 360 series kicks off with Ryah, a senior boarding student with an interest in STEM! Read on to hear about neuroscience class, how she came to Emma, and favorite traditions in her own words!
On home…
I'm Palestinian American. I’ve lived in Palestine for twelve years with my family. I have two brothers, one older and one younger, and while we don't really have pets, my younger brother and I take care of a few stray cats near our house—though honestly, he's the one who really does the work.
Ryah in Barcelona with friends!
On Emma…
I actually found out about Emma through a Palestinian college-prep program. They usually run info sessions for colleges, but they'd just started including boarding schools too, and Emma was one of them. I joined the session, and applied spontaneously, not really expecting to get in.
When I got to campus, I was honestly amazed by how big and beautiful it was compared to my old school, and everyone was so warm—students and faculty both helped me figure out where everything was and how things worked. What makes Emma special to me is how inclusive it feels, plus all the traditions that bring everyone together, like Revels, May Day, and Ring Siblings.
On STEM…
I'm really passionate about STEM, especially science—neuroscience, psychology, genetics, all of it. I'm also interested in pre-health and interactive health spaces. I've loved science for as long as I can remember.
My interest in neuroscience and psychology came during COVID, when being ten years old and stuck at home gave me time to actually explore those subjects. I got a real taste of lab work back in Palestine, where I learned what research actually looks like (even with limited resources). More recently I've gotten really into genetics, which is part of why I'm taking that class at Emma now. Going forward, I'd love to learn more hands-on health skills, like EMT training, since I really care about helping people and want to go into that field eventually.
Ryah at a Summer program where she did research on novel bacteriophage.
On Neuroscience and Genetics…
Honestly, Neuroscience and Genetics have been my favorites. I love science, and getting to learn this stuff at such a young age feels like such a lucky opportunity — most people don't get exposed to it until college. I've loved pretty much everything about both classes, and I'm excited for what's coming next since the lessons get more in-depth and there are some fun projects planned too.
On Revels…
Revels for sure! The secrecy, anticipation, fun, dressing up and so much more makes that tradition so memorable!
Find more interesting stories about Emma Willard School on our Newsroom page.