Zahra Gilani
Denver
Summary
Psychology and Spanish major on a pre-med track at Mount Holyoke College with academic interests in pediatrics, neuroscience, and cognitive development. Interested in how brain development shapes learning and behavior in children. Experienced in neuroscience research, bilingual science communication, and youth-focused education across diverse communities.
Overview
2027
2027
years of professional experience
Work History
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Somnuero Lab-University of Massachussets Amherst
Amherst, MA
2026 - Current
- Contribute to sleep and neuroscience research examining sleep, cognition, and brain development in preschool-aged children.
- Support study operations through literature review, data organization, and research activities.
- Gain experience with sleep research methodologies, including polysomnography (PSG) and developmental assessments.
Independent Study
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA
01.2026 - 05.2026
- Facilitated two bilingual (Spanish-English) neuroscience outreach workshops and classroom visit for 65 elementary students through Mount Holyoke College's Cerebro 101 / Brain 101 program.
- Led the brain anatomy station, guiding small groups through hands-on exploration of rat and sheep brains and human brain models.
- Explained brain structure and function in Spanish using interactive demonstrations to increase student engagement and understanding of neuroscience concepts.
- Adapted scientific terminology and instruction for elementary-aged learners, strengthening science communication skills in a multilingual setting.
Social Chair
Muslim Student Association — Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA
09.2025 - Current
- Design and distribute promotional materials to increase awareness and engagement for campus events.
- Manage and maintain organizational social media platforms, ensuring consistent communication and outreach.
- Coordinate with student representatives across the Five College Consortium to facilitate collaboration and promote intercampus initiatives.
- Served as Religious Chair for the 2025-2026 academic year.
- Worked with the MSA board to plan events, planned biweekly iftars, advocated for expanding grab-and-go space within dining hall for pre-dawn meal during Ramadan.
- Attended biweekly interfaith meetings, having open conversations about different beliefs to strengthen campus faith-based community infrastructure.
Cashier
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA
09.2025 - Current
- Managed high-volume financial transactions serving hundreds of students daily in MHC Dining Hall. Maintained operational efficiency during peak service hours.
Teaching Fellow
Generation Teach
Denver, CO
06.2024 - 07.2025
- Selected for two consecutive summers in an AmeriCorps-affiliated academic acceleration program. Delivered 50+ hours per week of math and environmental engineering instruction to cohorts of 40–46 middle school students. Differentiated curriculum to address varied learning needs, integrated daily coaching feedback, and strengthened student engagement, quantitative reasoning, and classroom confidence.
Teacher's Assistant
Crescent View Academy
Aurora, CO
02.2024 - 05.2025
- Supported classroom activities by assisting teachers with lesson preparation and instructional materials.
- Monitored student progress and provided feedback to teachers on academic performance and engagement.
- Tutored struggling students individually and in small groups to reinforce learning concepts in English and Science in a first-grade classroom
Peer Mentor
Crescent View Academy
Aurora, CO
04.2024 - 05.2025
- Provided weekly academic mentorship (3 hrs/week, 34 weeks) to an 8th-grade student.
- Developed structured study schedules, accountability systems, and goal-tracking methods that boosted academic success and contributed to measurable grade improvement and strengthened independent learning habits.
- Conducted regular check-ins to monitor progress towards achieving their goals and to address any concerns or challenges faced along the way.
Student Council President
Crescent View Academy
Aurora, CO
09.2024 - 05.2025
- Elected to lead student council and represent student body in administrative discussions. Organized school-wide initiatives including World Kindness Day, sustainability programming, and multi-grade events exceeding 100 attendees. Raised $500+ for a scholarship fund.
ESL Teacher
Peer Tutoring Society — Karachi Grammar School
Karachi, PK
07.2023 - 08.2023
- Delivered 24+ hours of foundational English instruction to children ages 5–13 with limited educational access. Designed interactive literacy exercises focused on vocabulary development, syllable recognition, and sentence construction in small-group learning environments.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology & Spanish, Pre-Med Track
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA05-2029
High School Diploma -
Crescent View Academy
Aurora, Colorado05-2025
Skills
- Bilingual Science Communication
- Educational Program Facilitation
- Polysomnography
- Research Data Management
- Urdu (Fluent)
- Spanish (Advanced)
Timeline
Independent Study
Mount Holyoke College
01.2026 - 05.2026
Social Chair
Muslim Student Association — Mount Holyoke College
09.2025 - Current
Cashier
Mount Holyoke College
09.2025 - Current
Student Council President
Crescent View Academy
09.2024 - 05.2025
Teaching Fellow
Generation Teach
06.2024 - 07.2025
Peer Mentor
Crescent View Academy
04.2024 - 05.2025
Teacher's Assistant
Crescent View Academy
02.2024 - 05.2025
ESL Teacher
Peer Tutoring Society — Karachi Grammar School
07.2023 - 08.2023
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Somnuero Lab-University of Massachussets Amherst
2026 - Current
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology & Spanish, Pre-Med Track
Mount Holyoke College
High School Diploma -
Crescent View Academy
AWARDS
High Honor Roll & Honor Roll – Crescent View Academy
May 2022, May 2024, December 2024, May 2025
- Achieved High Honor Roll (3.75+ GPA) senior spring and Honor Roll (3.5+ GPA) across multiple terms while maintaining leadership roles and community involvement.
Aga Khan University – First Runners-Up – Climate Competition
Jan 2024
- Co-developed 'ChillVille,' a mobile app with energy tracking algorithms and gamified reward systems to reduce household consumption that placed 2nd among 63 competing schools in a university climate competition.
Relevant Coursework
Fall 2025
- Integrated Intro Biology & Chemistry (BIOL-160 / CHEM-160) with Lab
- First-Year Seminar: Pharmocracy (FYSEM-110PK)
- Spanish 199: Preparation for Intermediate Spanish
Spring 2026
- Developmental Biology (BIOL-200) with Lab
- Inorganic Chemistry (CHEM-231) with Lab
- Cultural Anthropology (ANTHR-105)
- Intermediate Spanish (SPAN-201)
- Neuroscience Independent Study: Cerebro 101 (Bilingual Neuroscience Outreach)