Featured below is one of our WOW Team Leaders, Kayleigh Westbrook.

Kayleigh is majoring in Biomedical Engineering at The Ohio State University. After she graduates, she is currently undecided on what she wants to do. Her long term goal has always been to work with prosthetic & orthotic devices: either going into industry where she would be able to design these, or continuing her education to work hands-on with patients. She would love to be able to work with kids or veterans! However, after her internship experience, she has also found a passion for working with safety equipment, specifically firefighting apparatus & SCBAs. Which honestly this isn't surprising since she has been a volunteer firefighter since she was 13!

Kayleigh has been with the WOW Program for six semesters. Learn more below about her positive experiences with the WOW Program! 

What is your favorite part of WOW? I love that I get to spend some time off campus and working with kids. They remind you what it is like to be carefree, and you get to forget about the stresses of college life for a few hours. While the programs can absolutely wear you out (seriously, where do those kids get all of that energy?!), it makes me feel so good to be able to share my love of science with the kids. There's no better feeling than a class of kids picking you as their favorite WOW student of the day!

What have you learned from WOW and how might this be applied to your future career? My communication skills have improved tremendously from working with WOW. Having to really think about the key ideas of a topic, and simplifying them down into elementary school-terms can be so difficult, but it is has helped me to better convey my ideas in school & work settings. 

Anything else to add? I am so grateful to the WOW & OHSE programs for all of their support throughout my college career! I love that I have been able to give back, and to help kids find enjoyment in being a scientist.