Kaleigh Baker '26
Kaleigh Baker '26, from Concord, NH, is a B.S. neuroscience and behavior major with minors in psychology, forensics, and justice studies. Kaleigh shared her experience as an undergraduate student in COLSA. She is one of COLSA's ambassadors for the 2025-26 academic year.
Why did you choose UNH?
I chose UNH because it offers the perfect balance. It’s big enough to provide endless opportunities and new connections, but still small enough to build meaningful, long-term friendships. The location is another bonus—being close to both the beach and the mountains makes it easy to enjoy everything from skiing and hiking to relaxing by the ocean. What stood out most to me, though, is how accessible opportunities like research and internships feel here, making it easy to get involved and grow both academically and personally.
What is your major and what do you love about it?
I am a neuroscience and behavior major. Having explored three different majors during my time at UNH, I can confidently say that neuroscience stands out because of its flexibility. The program allows students to mix and match electives from a wide range of fields—such as psychology, zoology, and beyond—making it highly adaptable to individual interests. Although it is a relatively small major, I’ve had the chance to connect with peers who have remarkably different academic passions, all within the same discipline. This diversity of perspectives in our core neuroscience courses has deepened my understanding of the material and broadened the way I think about the brain and behavior.
What's the best academic experience you've had at UNH?
My most meaningful academic experience at UNH was taking forensic anthropology with Professor Amy Michael. Before this class, I didn’t know what a forensic anthropologist was, but by the end of the semester, I had a strong understanding of the field and its connections to prosecution, crime scene investigation, and cold case work. The course emphasized restorative justice for victims and their families while teaching the skills needed to solve cases involving skeletal remains. It gave me valuable insight into the U.S. justice system and showed me how it’s possible to contribute to restorative justice even outside a traditional law enforcement role.
What's the best experience you've had at UNH outside the classroom/lab?
The best non-academic experience I’ve had at UNH has been my involvement with The SHARPP Center for Interpersonal Violence Awareness, Prevention, and Advocacy. As a community educator with The SHARPP Center, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with people from across campus that I may never have met otherwise, all while making a real, tangible impact on the UNH community. Through this role, I’ve participated in outreach events focused on advocacy, prevention, and resources related to interpersonal violence, which has been one of the most meaningful parts of my UNH experience.
How is UNH preparing you to achieve your goals?
UNH is preparing me to reach my goals by giving me access to professors with diverse interests and expertise. No matter how specific your dream field is, there’s likely a professor here with relevant experience or advice to share. In addition, UNH has an extensive network of staff dedicated to helping students understand what employers in the industry are looking for, which makes navigating career paths much more approachable.
What should prospective students know about UNH?
At UNH, building strong connections with your professors is one of the most valuable keys to success. Taking the time to form those relationships not only helps you engage more deeply with the material but also gives you trusted support when challenges arise. The professors here are deeply committed to seeing their students thrive, and reaching out can make all the difference. Many students find mentors who become sounding boards for their goals—both inside and outside the classroom—helping to shape their personal, academic, and professional growth.
Please share one unique or interesting fact about yourself.
While my major tends to be pretty bench-lab-heavy, I’m happiest when I’m out in the mountains hiking, skiing, or just finding a new trail to explore.
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