Sixty members of the UNMC High School Alliance are among the students taking classes at UNMC this academic year.
The students come from high schools around Omaha and take college-level classes to prepare for health careers.
Today we meet:
- Name: Jorge Cisneros
- School: Thomas Jefferson High School, Council Bluffs
- Year: Senior
How did you learn about the UNMC High School Alliance?
I learned about the program through a friend of mine who was a senior last year and attended the UNMC High School Alliance. She was on my robotics team and told me all about the program and how it had had a huge impact on her life. I knew that this was the next step that I needed to take to expand my knowledge about the medical field.
What sparked your interest in science?
I have always loved science since I was a little kid. Astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology — you name it. Health science careers piqued my interest when I found out my grandpa had Alzheimer’s. In that point in my life, I realized that I really wanted to know how the human body functions and why people get the diseases that they do.
What are your career aspirations?
I want to become a biomechanical engineer. Being able to help people with physical disabilities using what I know about engineering just seemed the perfect fit for me. At first, I just wanted to be in the medical field. In my freshman year, I joined robotics and realized how interesting engineering was. I wanted to be able to help people because of my grandpa. I was inspired to help others and by becoming a biomechanical engineer, I would be able to work with my passion for engineering and still be a part of the medical field.
What has been the best part of your experience so far?
The alliance has offered me classes with some of the best professors on campus. I have also been able to meet new people from Nebraska, since I am from Council Bluffs, and really connect with them through this phenomenal opportunity. Being able to make friends with people who are on the same path as me is truly a great experience. I believe that being enrolled in the alliance will be the highlight of my senior year.