Fordham freshman prioritizes her studies and well being. (Courtesy of Saisha Islam for The Fordham Ram)

For Liana Cutter, FCRH ’27, it was a big transition from her home in Costa Rica surrounded by the jungle and beach to Fordham University’s Rose Hill campus in the Bronx. Growing up, Cutter shares that she had unique experiences compared to some of her first-year peers, stating that it was common as a kid to find a cow on the roof, alligators in the classroom, a snake which had slithered in while watching TV and to recognize which frogs were poisonous and which were fine to touch.

When asked what drew her to Fordham, Cutter shared that it was “the small class size and the close relationship that professors developed with their students.” Additionally, she was drawn in by Rose Hill’s strong STEM classes, research and extracurricular activities. Ironically, Cutter shared that while growing up, she didn’t appreciate STEM, but developed a strong passion for it when she took her first chemistry and physics classes in seventh grade. This cemented her decision later on to be the first in her high school to go to a college outside of the country and enroll as a biochemistry major. She chose biochemistry because she saw it as a good bridge between biology and chemistry and thought that it would allow her to see and grasp more of both subjects.

Cutter states that she ended up getting into research as a first-year when attending a talk given by Dr. Ipsita Banerjee during orientation, finding the lab’s work to be intriguing. Currently, she conducts research on glioblastoma tumor receptor paths and finding different proteins and observing how well they bind to see if it is possible to develop treatments for the disease. When asked about her early ascension into research, Cutter states that it allows for her “to ease into it” and find out what she really likes about it. In addition to research, Cutter states that she enjoys the challenging aspect of her classes and being in an environment where she is not afraid to ask questions. She also shares how she has developed close relationships with faculty, even receiving a plant from her biology professor. 

Outside of classes, Cutter is the co-president of Happy Hopes, a part of the social innovation committee focused on student’s mental health. Some of the organization’s undertakings have included gathering information through surveys on student’s mental health, organizing a speaker for Black History Month to describe Black mental health struggles, creating a poster for Women’s History Month and sending out an email to find out whether students knew about Fordham’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS). Cutter states that most students don’t know about mental health services provided on campus and that she hopes to bring more attention towards it. Future goals of the organization include making CPS more accessible to students. 

When asked about how Cutter deals with her own mental health, she states that outside of copious studying, she lets loose by going to the gym. She explains that it is important to maintain mental health as a college student, and that she is still trying to find a balance between classes and free time. 

While still dealing with the big transition to Fordham, Cutter states that she finds similarities to home with the large number of Hispanic people in the Bronx and that she is excited to explore the big city. She claims that in New York City, “the possibilities are endless.” You can do a thousand different things every hour and be whoever you want to be everyday. In Cutter, Fordham has found a passionate and excited student who hopes to make a positive impact on campus.