About me…
Shreya Jain is a scientist-entrepreneur from NYC. She is a current medical student at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, and received her Masters in Biomedical Sciences from Rutgers University. She received a BA in Biology and BBA in Business Administration with a Health Professions concentration through the Macaulay Honors program at CUNY Brooklyn College. As a photographer, Indian classical dancer, and major biology nerd, she works to combine her love for medicine with her passion for the arts.
When I was younger, I did pageants competitively. Yes, I was a pageant queen when I was 7 years old way back in 2004!
This wasn’t the same thing as bratty kids with their competitive parents you see glorified on Toddlers and Tiaras. I wasn’t even allowed to wear any makeup’s all!!
The pageants I competed in were scholarship pageants, whose main goal was to teach confidence, presentation skills, poise, and effective communication with the aim to celebrate each young girl being her best and most real self.
I am the middle child of immigrants from India, but I grew up in New York City. In pageantry and school, I was constantly conflicted between being American or Indian. When I began to embrace and celebrate my Indian culture through dance, song, and spirituality, I let go of the idea that my two worlds were separate, I saw myself clearer than ever before.
My perspective changed as my mindset shifted to from one of cognitive dissonance to unity and completeness.
I used the personal success skills I gained from pageantry and American schooling to be successful in communicating with my elders and performing at Indian cultural events, and I brought the values and perspective I gained from my Indian culture to thrive in my schooling and competitions.
This unity and completeness of my identity largely molded who I am today.
I am a thinker, scientist, entrepreneur, and creator. I have degrees in Biology and Business Administration, studied medicine at a graduate level, started two business, and am trained in the Indian classical dance form Kathak. Now I have began medical school, and I aim to bridge education with the patient experience to teach people about their bodies and how they can take control of their health and wellness.
Your mind is your greatest asset. When your perspective opens, you can allow yourself to see who you are and find your path to success. The more I learn about the mind and body, the stronger I believe in this mantra and the power of knowledge.
Join me as I explore how to live in completeness - sakala.
- Shreya Jain
