Mentor Biography

My name is Tyla Smith and I am a second year Biomedical Sciences major at UCF. I graduated from West Broward High School in Pembroke Pines, Florida in 2025. One of my favorite classes at UCF is the Anthropology of Harry Potter, because it was a very interesting upper-level elective that counted towards my major. We were presented with different aspects of the Harry Potter world each week and made anthropological connections through movie clips/book excerpts and other articles. One of my favorite professors at UCF is Professor Reed. I had her for Calculus I, and she always made her classes engaging and gave us plenty of resources to prepare for the exams. She was always open to students who needed extra explanations of concepts learned in lecture and would talk through concepts we didn’t understand. I wanted a mentor because I wanted a person I could go to for advice on how to navigate a challenging major in college. I also wanted to learn how to be involved in several aspects of college life to be prepared for professional school after I graduate from UCF. The program as a whole allows freshmen to have a community right from the start of college, and it was where I made most of my friends that I have now. For the incoming students joining this program, I would say to take it one day at a time, and make smaller goals that will help you achieve your larger goals. When I’m not in school, I like to read, be outside, and spend time with my family back home.