Jenny Shen- B.Sc Anatomy and Cell Biology, minor in Computer Science

Rarely do you see a person who boldly steps out of one’s comfort zone and start everything anew to follow one’s passion. Jenny is such a person. In her interview, she describes how she found her passion for User Experience design.

Tell us about what you studied at McGill.

I’m currently a fourth year student at McGill majoring in Anatomy and Cell Biology with a minor in Computer Science.

What are you planning to do after?

In my last two years of University,

I’ve developed an interest in UX design and have been testing the waters by interning as a UX designer for several software companies.

For the uninitiated, UX design stands for user experience design and revolves around building the entire product experience for the end user.

My time working as an UX design intern has deepened my appreciation for how much thought goes into the minute details of a product.

UX is a new and expanding field and its nuances and challenges have captured my passion. For the moment, it is my foreseeable future.

What are pros and cons about your program?

Pros: Compared to other life science majors, Anatomy and Cell biology is fairly flexible and allows you to choose from a wide variety of courses so you can explore your interests.

Cons: All memorizing, no problem solving.

What were some valuable involvements at school that taught about yourself and oriented your goals?

When you’re in life sciences, there is an extreme focus on medical school and along with it an immense pressure to be as proactive as possible within the field.

I, for example, started volunteering at a hospital, for reasons that were not entirely altruistic in nature. Another attempt to pad my resume ended up in me working in one of my professor’s labs for a semester. However, these extracurriculars didn’t capture my interest and I was looking for something different.

This search led me to join NetRoots International at the end of my first year at McGill.

I worked as a social media consultant and had the opportunity to connect with non-profit organizations and help them construct websites and online campaigns. It was the breath of fresh air that I needed.

Netroots helped me rediscover my love for design and ultimately lead me to UX.

Proudest thing you’ve done at McGill.

Actually getting out of my comfort zone and pursuing what I love to do (even though it has nothing to do with my major). It was scary but I was able to do this with my supportive boyfriend and amazing friends who believed in me.