Dani Bousaid

Tell us why you became a teacher

There's a certain gratification teaching I haven't experienced in any other profession in my life. Out of college I was planning on attending medical school and after working in a private practice for a year, I realized that efficiency and seeing as many patients as possible mattered more than actual patient care. I still wanted to help others, and enjoyed the tutoring I did in high school and as an undergrad, so I decided to chase that feeling and haven't looked back since.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

One of my AP Biology students that I also taught Chemistry to wrote his personal statement to colleges about a conversation he had with me. Sharing the same background of being first generation students in America, I understood the student's plight when he expressed wanting to succeed and make their parents proud, but feeling that their best effort wasn't good enough. I told them to always try to be better than who they were the day before and to aim to help others, which resonated with them.

What would you do with the $25,000?

Go back for my phD so I can eventually become a professor. I love the idea of being able to help others throughout different stages in life, whether that's in high school or post secondary. My undergraduate degree was in neuroscience and I still have an immense passion for the field, so being able to be partner with a university and conduct my own research would be a dream come true.