Nakiah Shanafelt '27
(She/Her)
Hometown: Nampa, ID
Year: 2nd Year
Majors: Chemistry, Physics
String Theory, Particle Physics, and Crocheting Are Not so Different After All
Hello! My name is Nakiah. I am super excited to be a peer mentor for the Honors Program! I love helping others, and I can’t wait to meet the incoming Honors students. I am double majoring in Chemistry and Physics, with the end goal of pursuing research in Astrophysics. So, if you ever feel like talking about black holes, I’ve got you covered!
Aside from ranting about black holes and studying science here at ISU, I like to spend my time working on a million different crochet projects. I also like to play (simple) video games or attempt to make half-way decent food. No matter what it is I’m doing, I am a firm believer that life is always more fun when you share it with friends and family. On campus, I spend my time outside of class working in an analytical chemistry research lab. I also love volunteering at STEM outreach events to share my love of the physical sciences with the community.
Despite how enjoyable college is, at times juggling classes, life, and self-care can be tricky. My one piece of advice: don’t let mistakes get you down! You wouldn’t be here at college if you already knew everything, and mistakes are bound to happen. There will always be opportunities to improve, and acknowledging and accepting the mistakes of the past allows you to learn and grow in the future.