Welcome! Bienvenidos! Xin Chao! I am Minh Thi (Mindy) Tran, a pre-medical biology major at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Throughout my academic and personal journey, I strive to live out the principles of Colossians 3:23, pursuing excellence and purpose in everything I do.
Welcome to my e-portfolio! Throughout the past four years I have experienced many things that I am extremely grateful for, as the experiences have integrated into my life. Here I will unfold the chapters of my academic, personal and extracurricular endeavors. To me, university is a time where I can learn more about myself and how I can improve. Something that I struggled with growing up is comparisons. As I have spent more time in the Bible and self reflecting, I have realized that it is a constant battle with myself rather than with other people. Therefore, I created this portfolio as a way to celebrate my achievements and cultivate the habit of reflecting on my experiences, rather than letting them fade from memory.
My Current Endeavors
Undergrad Student at the University of Florida
August 2021 – Current
I have been a student at the University of Florida, UF, for three years and I am about to head into my fourth year. As a freshman I started of with an exploratory biology major as I navigated the complexities of university. Not only did I learn in my classes about the general sciences but I learned a lot about myself, especially how take care of myself. Through multiple connections and experiences I decided to switch my track to pre-professional biology to pursue a career in medicine. I quickly decided to pursue some leadership positions at the university to develop my skills and to serve the community.
Desk Assistant at the University of Florida
September 2021 – Current
One evening in my freshman dorm, my roommate mentioned to me that there was an opening in the housing department where she worked as a desk assistant. I instantly thought of my confusing experience at the dorm that occurred just a week prior. I was not allowed entry into my dorm due to COVID-19 protocols but was not informed by the housing department. I spent the weekend asking my roommate to let me into the hall because my fob was not working. One nice desk assistant was able to help me a couple days later and I was extremely grateful for the gesture. Her actions meant a lot to me being a lost freshman in a constantly changing environment. Although it was minor, I felt touched by the experience and decided to pursue the position as a desk assistant to ensure that every student during my shift feels cared for and recognized during a big life change.
HCA North Florida Volunteer
July 2024 – Current
As a pre-med student, volunteering is an important activity for us to be a part of the community and to display our commitment to service. I have learned a lot of things from volunteering at HCA North Florida, through patient, nurse, and physician interactions. It was through these activities that I was able to learn to be a listener before being a speaker.