Aileen Perez-Aguilar joined us as a WISCIENCE Peer Leader in spring 2024. Peer Leaders are undergraduate students who support their peers in WISCIENCE programs and courses while learning valuable leadership skills. Find out more about Aileen and her experience as a Peer Leader!
Pronouns: She/her
Peer Leader for: Exploring Biology (INTEGSCI 100)
Major: Neurobiology and psychology
Hometown: Whitewater, WI
If you could choose anyone to be a mentor to you, who would it be?
My mom is my best mentor
What is your favorite place on campus?
The student in me is a huge Law Library fan. It’s the best place to fully lock in and it has a beautiful window view. The coffee lover in me is a huge Ancora Bakery fan. It’s a great place for Saturday breakfast with my friends to debrief about our weeks.
What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
I am a member of PALMA, LSU, a sorority member, and Girl Gains on campus.
What do you like most about Madison?
I love the people, and the endless opportunity to continue making connections. I have met so many amazing professors and mentors that truly want the best for me and have created a welcoming environment for me to discuss my future, my courses, and the low emotions that tend to come and go throughout the semester. I also love the friends I have met on campus. I came from a mid-sized high school in small town Wisconsin. I came in knowing only two people and the few friends I had made scattered throughout the country. It took me a little bit to branch out, but I love my friend group and am thankful for them every day.
What are your favorite snacks for a study session?
I love Nerds Gummy Clusters as a study snack!
If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
I would be a giraffe so that I could use my long legs to get to classes faster, and tall enough to see everything around me.
What is your hidden talent?
I play the flute and heavy weight-lift!
What is an academic accomplishment that you are proud of?
I am proud that I finish each semester better than the one before. The only competition that matters is working to be better than the past version of you. By staying consistent, interacting with class, creating professional relationships with my professors, and trusting my knowledge, I am in a better place than ever before!
What sparked your interest in STEM?
I have always wanted to be a doctor and learn about our body systems and how they function. The chemistry and biology that make up who we are needs to be taken care of in order to be our best selves. The more I learn, the better I can aid those in need.
What is your vision for life after graduation?
I hope to take a semester break before continuing on to medical school.
What advice would you give a friend considering becoming a peer leader?
Being a peer leader is an experience like no other. Being able to mentor those who are fresh to university life is rewarding in so many ways, for the student but for you as well. Your interpersonal communication skills, interview skills, advice skills, and teamwork abilities will grow and thrive within this program. I am also happy to say I have made some amazing friends thanks to this program that I know I will hold on to for the rest of the years to come! Join a team of the more welcoming and inclusive individuals you could ever ask for, we are here to help you.
What have you learned through your experience of being a peer leader?
I have learned more about myself as a leader, as a mentor, and as an individual due to this program. I have learned that even if we may not see it, there is always room for growth as a professional. I have learned to practice what I preach to my mentees and prioritize my organization, my attentiveness in class, making connections professionally, and the ability to grow into the best version of myself.
Meet the rest of the WISCIENCE Peer Leaders.
Learn more about the WISCIENCE Peer Leader program.