Choosing Mount Union
When I visited Mount Union I really enjoyed the cohesiveness of the campus compared to other universities that I had been to. Whether interacting with other students or faculty members, everyone always felt warm. Mount Union made me feel like a member of a community, more so than just a student.
Invested Faculty
The thing I love most about Mount Union is how well the faculty prepare their students to succeed. The faculty members at Mount unwaveringly support the development of their students. Among other instances, a few examples of the faculty preparing me for success include reviewing countless drafts of cover letters, and challenging me to think critically in the classroom. (Thanks Drs. Risley, Ekey, Miller and Lowery!)
Impactful Opportunities
Through being a part of the Inter-Science Research Club I was given the opportunity to present my data from Dr. Lowery's lab in Dublin, Ireland. This was a great experience because it allowed me to see the inner workings of the science community with my own eyes. Additionally, this meeting and my membership in the group gave me a valuable talking point during interviews for graduate school!
Career Ambitions
As a graduate student I conduct basic research in the field of biomedical sciences. Specifically, I work in a lab that focuses on understanding the regulation of the immune response to viral infection. My duties involve conducting experiments, writing manuscripts, and presenting data. I like that at the end of the day, the work that I am doing will lay the foundation for therapeutic treatments that will improve the quality of life for ill/injured individuals.
My time as a graduate student will prepare me to conduct independent research in the future either by becoming a professor at a university or working as a scientist in an industrial job. Someday I would like to outline a biological mechanism or pathway that drugs can be developed for to use in the clinic. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work in research, but a goal of mine is to see the work that I've done be put into practice.