For seniors, deciding where (or if) to go to college can be quite the challenge. For most, however, staying in state is a no brainer; for senior Lissy Duran however, it was the last thing she wanted to do.

Duran decided that attending the University of Connecticut, or “UConn,” was the best choice for her.

“I was essentially always planning on going out of state,” Duran said. “I’ve spent most of my life here in northern Kentucky, and I’ve always noticed that a lot of my peers and peers from previous classes stayed close to home, which is totally okay, but staying close to home for higher education was something that didn’t appeal to me.”

Beyond that, Duran also felt that going to UConn would be best for her academically.

“A lot of in-state colleges have majors that are very broad and (have) limited inclusivity in the classroom,” she said. “The decision to go out of state wasn’t hard for me because I already had an idea of what I was looking for in colleges and knew that if my in-state choices were unable to provide what I was looking for, I had to move to out of state options.”

Duran is planning on majoring in human development and family sciences at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences within UConn, and minor in healthcare management and insurance studies at UConn’s School of Business.

Career-wise, Duran is still undecided, though she mentioned that if she chooses to pursue medical school post-graduation, dermatology was a real possibility.

“Being a dermatologist always interested me because of how complex the anatomy of the skin is, and how research in a field like dermatology is constantly growing,” she said.

Outside of that, Duran said working as a public health administrator, psychologist, or counselor also interested her.

In the meantime, Duran hopes she can participate in student-led activities like UConn’s Leadership Legacy Experience, which she hopes will enhance her experience at the school, as well as community outreach and learning community programs.

“I’m looking forward to meeting new people and finding more ways to enhance (a) growing education,” Duran said. “I’m excited about how Uconn as a school and community has an environment for students to grow and become the best version of themselves.”

Duran said she would eventually like to apply for summer internships and participate in research studies at the school as well.

“I’m sure that I will miss my family and be homesick but I know that I can always come home during breaks—I am hopeful that I will make UConn a second home.”