School of Science and Mathematics

Taylor knew she wanted to be in a medical field when she began looking at colleges. What caught her attention most about Marian was the location in Indianapolis and proximity to her family, not too close but not too far. She recalls visiting and faculty and staff did little things like opening doors for their tour group and how everyone seemed to know everyone else. She came to Marian and almost immediately found opportunities to thrive, both in class and around campus. One of the highlights for Taylor was the integration of research into so many of her biology classes and labs. She carried that forward to an independent project as well and valued both the hands-on experiences and the opportunities to present that work to fellow students through events like the Undergraduate Research Symposium. She also really enjoyed her courses in Medical Physiology and Advanced Physiology of Exercise which prepared her for success in challenging medical school courses. Outside of the class and lab spaces Taylor was an orientation leader for two years at Marian, helping other students have the same great experience she had when coming to the school. She also worked in the Office of Student Activities for four years and got to be the primary person for planning some on-campus events. She was also active in the Sigma Zeta Science and Mathematics honors society and served as the President of the Campus Activities Board. That interest in social connection and events has carried forward with her to the Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine where she is currently a second-year medical student and actively involved in the COM Student Government Association. She is enjoying discovering her passions in medicine and is currently leaning toward a career in Emergency Medicine.

Marian University will always hold a special place in my heart. I am a third generation Marian Knight. I chose Marian because I wanted a well-rounded college experience that would facilitate the development of my mind, body, and spirit. The small class sizes made it possible for me to get the individualized attention I needed to grow academically and personally. I graduated from Marian in 2022 with a B.S in Biology, a B.S in Public Health, and a minor in Chemistry. I was a pole vaulter on the Marian University track and field team. I was heavily involved in on campus research. I spent ~3 years working in Dr. Jason Chan and Dr. Trisha Staab’s lab and ~2 years working in Dr. Colleen Doci’s lab. This research experience prepared me for graduate school and resulted in my acceptance of a Barry Goldwater Scholarship and a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation. I was heavily involved in Sigma Zeta, the national science and mathematics honor society on campus. I served as the Vice President for 2 years and helped coordinate educational events for future scientists and medical professionals. I also volunteered for 2 years at Trinity Free Clinic where I helped provide free healthcare to patients 200% below the poverty line. Currently, I am in my first year as a Ph.D. student in Molecular and Cellular Pathology at the University of Michigan. I am in the middle of my second of four 8-week lab rotations. Upon the completion of my final lab rotation, I will select a lab to complete my thesis.

Katie first learned about Marian during a Girl Scout science camp. When she began to look at colleges, she remembered her experience and returned to visit. During her visit she met with Dr. Joyce Horton who invited her to sit in on a class and that experience made a big impact on her. She received the St. Mary’s scholarship and decided to come to Marian to study Biology. While here she has been a member of College Mentors for Kids and the Spanish National Honors Society, Sigma Delta Pi. She has also participated in research with Dr. Carina Collins which she presented at the American Society of Plant Biology in July 2022. She was also awarded the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship. Katie is currently in her senior year and is applying to Physical Therapy graduate programs.

Lynn and Anne are Biology majors who have also participated in one of Marian’s study abroad programs in Germany. Lynn came to Marian wanting to be closer to family after COVID. She earned a 21st Century Scholars scholarship helping to dramatically reduce her cost to attend Marian. Anne is from northeast Indiana and admits she can’t remember how she first heard of Marian, but it presented an opportunity to be centrally located and reasonably near her family across the state. Both Lynn and Anne are interested in studying in a medical field after graduation, though they are each figuring out what that means for themselves. While coming from different backgrounds, they shared an interest in both medicine and German. In their German class Dr. Wendy Westphal presented them with an opportunity to study abroad by shadowing surgeons at a hospital in Rotenburg, Germany. For three weeks in the summer of 2022 Lynn and Anne lived in Rotenburg and shadowed surgeons, ultimately accumulating more than 80 hours of surgical observation time. They shared the experience with two students from Marian’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, and got to observe many different procedures including orthopedic and vascular surgery and liposuction. While in Germany they also traveled to Berlin, Hamburg, and Bremen to experience German culture in different settings. The opportunity to travel like this, and the support they received from Marian for the experience, have been a transformational experience for both Lynn and Anne.