Ambika Chetal, senior
Chemistry major, minor in business technology

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I am president of Kappa Kappa Gamma, vice president of CMU Treblemakers and a teaching assistant for Fundamentals of Computer Science

What does Carnegie Mellon mean to you?

I love Carnegie Mellon University because it's given me the freedom to explore a lot more than just my major; I've taken classes in every school on campus and have been able to commit a lot of time to my extracurricular activities while still graduating with a respected degree!

What is your favorite fun fact to tell on campus tours?

Walking to the Sky used to be vertical, but the wind would cause it to sway up to four feet in any direction.

Brooke Dresden, sophomore
Biological sciences major

What do you like to do in your spare time?

In my spare time, I enjoy swimming, playing water polo and spending time with my friends. I also am a member of the MCS Student Advisory Committee and the club swim team.

What does Carnegie Mellon mean to you?

To me, Carnegie Mellon University is home. I have found a group of people with whom I can be myself while still celebrating the diversity of others. I appreciate the collaboration within both the disciplines in the university as well as the students, and I know I can always count on my friends to help me with whatever I need just as I would help them.

What is your favorite fun fact to tell on campus tours?

My favorite fun fact to tell people on tours is that Baker Hall and Porter Hall slope downwards because Andrew Carnegie wanted to be able to quickly turn the buildings into steel mills if the university plan didn't work out. However, this isn't a true fact, and the building was actually built in sections, indicating that it's sloped because it was quite literally built into the hill.

William Fahy, sophomore
Chemistry major, music minor

What do you like to do in your spare time?

In my spare time, I play way too many instruments (14 in total), especially the flute. I love to read classic science fiction and build rockets. On a day off, you might find me in a local teahouse with some friends or off eating something fancy in the Strip. At CMU, I am communications director for Model United Nations; treasurer for Project Ignite; a member of All University Orchestra, Flutonium, Pops Orchestra and Kiltie Band; part of Carnegie Mellon Rocket Command; and I conduct research in Ryan Sullivan's lab on volcanic ash. 

What does Carnegie Mellon mean to you?

To me, Carnegie Mellon is a launching point. I've already seen and had so many opportunities to network, research and learn that I never would have had anywhere else. It's a community of like-minded people all striving to be the very best people they can be, and that makes it remarkable. 

What is your favorite fun fact to tell on campus tours?

I love to tell people all about Doherty Hall, since I basically live there. The basements weren't always there, but when they needed new space, they just dug out a new room and put someone there, which is why it's such a ridiculous mess with all sorts of odd nooks and crannies. 

Frances Moore, sophomore
Chemistry (biochemistry track) and social and political history major

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I’m in buggy (GO APEX) and on the women’s lacrosse team; I also like to go to museums and drink tea at Dobra tea house with my friends.

What does Carnegie Mellon mean to you?

CMU is home away from home! It’s where I was able to discover (and am still discovering) who I am and what I want to do with my life.

What is your favorite fun fact to tell on campus tours?

My favorite fun fact to tell people on tours is that when Gary the Turtle (Wean Hall) is filled with bottle caps, he will take the entire campus on his back and fly to the land of plentiful QPAs.

Lauren Nazzaro, senior
Biological sciences major, minor in biomedical engineering

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I like to read, catch up with my family and watch movies with my friends. At CMU, I am an orientation leader, Strong Women Strong Girls mentor, Carnegie Mellon Admissions student interviewer and a research assistant in the McManus lab.

What does Carnegie Mellon mean to you?

Carnegie Mellon University means a place where a lot of driven, talented people can come together to collaborate and help each other grow as students and as people.

What is your favorite fun fact to tell on campus tours?

That the columns of the Mellon Institute are free-standing, and there are extras buried in the ground around campus!

Isabel Yoon, junior
Biological Sciences major, neuroscience track

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I love discovering new cafes with my friends and reading! I am also MCS Student Advisory Council co-president, finance chair for Strong Women, Strong Girls, a teaching assistant for Physics I and a member of Flutonium. I conduct research at Children's Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh. 

What does Carnegie Mellon mean to you?

CMU is where I got to discover who I am and how I fit in this world. With the help of supportive faculty and incredibly diverse opportunities for learning, doing and serving, I was able to discover what excites me and how I can contribute my passions for those around me. Of course, balancing academics and all the different extracurriculars is tough, but I’m proud of how much I’ve grown in terms of my resilience, confidence and adventurousness. I'm very grateful that I’m at CMU. 

What is your favorite fun fact to tell on campus tours?

After Mellon Institute was built, there was a leftover column. The architects didn’t know where else they could store a giant column, so they buried it near the Cathedral of Learning.