Jiani Osborn, Class of 2024

I spent a relaxing summer both traveling and hanging out with my family and my dogs. It was important I gave myself this mental break because I started dental school at UMKC this fall, which is both super exciting and a little scary. It is always a mix of emotions when I embark on a new experience that means a lot to me. So far, it has been a great experience, and I look forward to the next 4 years.

The most valuable skill I learned was time management. With all the lectures and rigorous labs, the only way to still be successful was to make use of every minute I had each day. I would make a detailed planner composed of what I needed to accomplish, which really worked well for me. Another valuable skill I learned was how to collaborate and communicate with peers and professors. Before joining the chemistry program, I almost never asked teachers for help because I thought I would look less intelligent. The chemistry professors were so welcoming and excited to see students in their office hours that I never felt embarrassed when asking questions. Lastly, I improved upon my ability to persevere and problem-solve. The chemistry program is composed of some difficult classes, all of which require critical thinking skills. Sometimes, I would get stumped on a problem or concept for more than an hour, which really forced me to persevere, be patient, and look at the issue from multiple perspectives.

Dr. Caricato made a large impact on my experience in the program. He was an amazing mentor to me and taught me some valuable life lessons. The most important being that you should never settle or stay in your comfort zone. He always pushed us to work harder and most importantly, to believe in ourselves. I will miss his guidance, and I truly appreciate everything he did for me. Some other notable professors were Dr. Blakemore, Dr. Farber, Dr. Elles, and Dr. Benson. Thank you all for taking the time to answer my questions and for seeing me in your office hours. It means a lot to me.

My favorite chemistry class was either Organic Chemistry lecture or Inorganic Chemistry lecture. These classes were like little puzzles, which made them very enjoyable. I also never felt like I could not handle the content, so they caused me less stress and allowed me to have fun with the coursework.

I always knew I wanted to be a dentist, which made me naturally lean towards majoring in something within the STEM field. I was good at math and problem- solving and decided to pursue chemistry because I established a love for it in high school. I took both honors chemistry and college chemistry, both with the same teacher, Mrs. O’Gorman, and she was really my first mentor. She instilled within me a love for chemistry and encouraged me to pursue a major in chemistry. She provided me with the resources and confidence I needed to tackle this challenging major, and I couldn’t be more grateful for her guidance. Without her, I don’t know if I would have chosen to pursue a chemistry major in college.

I was first attracted to KU because of the rich history the school has and how close the college is to my home. I have also been a Jayhawk my whole life and couldn’t see myself going anywhere else. KU’s chemistry undergraduate program drew me in because I heard the professors were great and the school itself was strong in comparison to others nearby. Most importantly, I knew KU’s chemistry program would prepare me for dental school, so I knew it was the right fit for me. I had even visited nearby colleges, but none of them made me feel as at home as KU’s chem department did. It also helps that Gray-Little Hall is beautiful!

My overall goal for my career is to become a general dentist in KS. I would first like to enter an associateship with an experienced dentist so that I can have a mentor who knows what it takes to be a successful dentist. Eventually, I would like to own my own practice where I can provide care to patients coming from all demographics. It is important to me that my future patients have a positive experience in my office, which I intend to provide through transparency, empathy, and mutually earned trust. Lastly, I want to utilize my profession in dentistry to participate in service opportunities that provide free dental care to communities in need.

I learned that you should do what makes you happy. Being a young adult is a vulnerable time, and it’s not unusual to feel like you need to fit in. However, what I learned is that you will always find a group of people where you can be yourself. If you are with a group, but don’t feel comfortable or feel like you fit in, that just means you need to branch out and find a group that does. College is like a big puzzle, and you are one puzzle piece that just has to find its correct spot. Once you do, you’ll feel right at home.

My favorite memory from the Caricato group was actually more of a recurring one. A few times a semester the undergrads had to present to the research group about our projects. Of course, this was terrifying for us because none of us like public speaking, especially in front of the all-knowing Dr. Caricato. In the hours leading up to a presentation, the undergraduates liked to imagine ways to get out of presentations. Sometimes it was to tell Dr. Caricato that we didn’t want to disappoint him that day, and often it was saying we would just drop out. Looking back, it’s funny because we thought the presentations were going to be the end of us and we were going to fail, but there was nothing better than hearing Dr. Caricato say, “that was okay” or if we were lucky, “that was good”. Now, I can be thankful for these presentations because my fear of public speaking has been minimized, and I’m much more capable of stepping out of my comfort zone.

Receiving the Alpha Chi Sigma award meant the world to me. It represented a culmination of all the hours and hard work I put in throughout my undergraduate years. I feel like I never got to step back and be proud of all the effort I put in to perform well in my academics, but at that moment, I got to. It was an honor to be chosen for the award, and I don’t take it lightly. I will continue to illustrate to the faculty that they made the right choice, and I hope I can continue to make the KU Chemistry Department proud now and in all my future endeavors.