Mentor Biography

My name is Abby Rains and I am a Civil Engineering major and Mathematics minor. This will be my second year at UCF. Last year I graduated from Celebration High School in Kissimmee, Florida, which is located right down the street from Disney (literally)! One of my favorite classes I have taken is Enjoyment of Music. It is a really easy general education class, but I was wholeheartedly engaged with the content all semester. My favorite professor I have had so far is Dr. Nall, who was my Philosophy professor. He had a great sense of humor and made the class more interesting despite it probably being my least favorite class to actually learn content for. He made every topic relatable and easy to understand, while also making the class feel sophisticated and well-worth signing up for. I got involved in the EXCEL/COMPASS program because I knew I’d build a network of friends and colleagues that would be there for me throughout my undergraduate studies who were within the same field of study as I am. Being in the program has made me feel more comforted and reassured while transitioning into college. I expect nothing less than everyone giving their best in this program and hope to see everyone succeed in what they do. Outside of the classroom and studying, I enjoy rock climbing, skateboarding, and taking trips to Disney!