Undergraduate Orientation

Hi everyone! I'm Ishan, a rising senior studying Biology (Cell/Molecular), Literary Arts, and CS, on the pre-med track.  I'm from Minnesota, and I transferred to Brown from UCLA in Spring 2024!

Around campus, I play ultimate at Brown, TA for CHEM 0330 (gen chem) and BIOL 0280 (biochem), volunteer and help coordinate the Brown Miriam Volunteer Project, volunteer with Brown's chapter of Doctors and Engineers Without Borders, work as a Biology Undergradute Education Peer Advisor, try out intramural sports (we have a TRUE team every season, reach out if you're interested!) and write/make crosswords for post- magazine. I also conduct research on neurodegenerative diseases at Warren Alpert, and am involved with chemistry education research. Outside of that, I love playing instruments and learning new ones, printmaking, climbing, Mario Kart, and creative writing!

My biggest advice to new TRUEs is to know that things will work out and that you belong at Brown. When I transferred, I was very unsure if it was the right decision and if I'd find my community here, but I've come to find that everyone here is so incredibly generous and welcoming---students, staff, and faculty alike. People are not only understanding of the journey of TRUEs, but also are willing to go out of their way to help you adjust. As hard as starting something new can be, know that you will absolutely find your people here---and if you encounter any difficulty along the way, we're always here to help out, listen, or do fun things!

The TRUE community at Brown will be not only your first connection to Brown, but also your crutch. Lean on us while you find your home here; we've experienced the same journey! Whether you find your close friends within this community or not, know that we're here to help, and never hesitate to contact myself, the rest of TRUE leadership, or any of the TRUE Peer Advisors. We truely (pun intended) love to talk about the things we're involved with and our journeys! Feel free to reach out to me over email (ishan_khurana@brown.edu) or over Instagram (ish.khurana04) if you have any questions, or even if you just want to chat! From all of TRUE: congratulations, welcome to Brown, and we can't wait to meet you :)