2023届毕业生:莎拉·阿莱曼

莎拉的话 is a 生物学 major specializing in 分子生物学 from Millsboro, Delaware.

当我踏上国会山的第一步时，我是: A pre-med student who believed the only path to success was to become a physician.

在毕业典礼上敲响老主楼钟的人是: 一个被授权的科学家努力获得博士学位.D.

真实世界经验: 我从未有过出国留学的机会!)，但我确实有一些很棒的研究经历. 我的第一次研究经历是和Dr. Susan 帕里什 in the 生物学 department (alongside Class of 2022 featured senior Hyosik金!). I was also able to have an off-campus research experience at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill through the National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates program. 在那里，我做了一项研究，我将在我的毕业论文中发表.

我的顿悟时刻: Learning that I wasn’t a pre-med student (nothing against being pre-med, of course). 当我大一上RNA生物学的时候, I realized that the idea of treating a patient did not spark nearly as much joy in me as the idea of learning more and more about molecules, 发展, 和遗传学. 我学会了完全接受我这个生物学书呆子!

我在山上留下的脚印 I would definitely like to be remembered through the students I’ve helped teach as a classroom assistant, 同时也是学生们未来可以求助的纽带.

对我影响最大的教职员: All of my professors have influenced who I am now as a graduating senior. 然而,博士. 苏珊·帕里什博士. 凯特琳·波兹曼特和凯尔·恩格勒对我影响很大. Dr. 帕里什和博士. 波兹曼特在我的生物教育中给予了我力量, always encouraging me to keep going and allowing me to explore my interests. 凯尔·恩格勒在这四年里一直是我的精神支柱, always reminding me to take care of myself and seek out my passions confidently. 没有他们, 我不能像现在这样利用我的资源, 也没有在学术界发现自己.

史上最佳课堂: 可能是英雄的旅程与博士. Mazerhoff. 这节课很有趣，内容丰富，也很充实. 学习不同的思想流派, 原型, and analysis has allowed me to view some of my favorite fiction and nonfiction works as well as day-to-day life in a whole new way.

As far as 生物学 classes go, however, that would have to be Advanced Molecular Genetics with Dr. 帕里什. 我喜欢了解最近的研究, 技术, 以及推动生物学领域向前发展的技术. Dr. 帕里什总是让这门课富有挑战性，但也很有趣.

让我大吃一惊: I was really nervous to live with other people, coming into my freshman year. However, I was really surprised to find myself sad to leave my roommates now that I’m graduating. 我肯定会把自己归为内向者, but I didn’t realize how comforting it would be to live with others who are working hard to pursue their goals. You can really only have this same level of support in a college setting.

我在校园里最喜欢的地方: 莱文大厅! The walk to Levine is always a pleasant one, because I know I’m on my way to an amazing voice lesson. Voice lessons have been a form of therapy for me throughout my time at McDaniel. 不管我有多紧张，多累, I knew I could always walk to Levine and sing my heart out and listen to fun anecdotes with my voice teacher, 凯尔恩氏.

我在金沙js6038学到的最令人难以置信的想法: 就生物学概念而言, something that really blew my mind was learning about the concept of epigenetics. Epigenetics looks at how our behaviors and environmental factors can affect gene expression. We usually think about mutations in terms of alterations made to our DNA, but epigenetics is another level of regulation which truly is so interesting to me.

我最重要的头衔: “Creation of an Optogenetically Tagged Polycomb Protein Capable of Inducible Nuclear Export.”

说白了就是: I studied a set of proteins that allow cells to become different types — think neurons or muscle cells — as an animal develops. 这个过程在受精后的最初几个小时内开始. Thus, in order to study these proteins, we need to be able to manipulate them at such an early stage. 目前还没有人能做到这一点, because these proteins are required for the 发展 of the egg itself inside the mother. 我的项目是设计这些蛋白质，使其对光敏感, 用蓝光照射它们, 我们可以在下蛋后破坏它们的功能, 但是在分化过程开始之前.

Tell us a little about your activities, including sports, during your years at McDaniel: 我在金沙js6038的四年里做了很多. I am an active member of Beta Beta Beta, a national biology honors society. I am part of the Honors Program, and I am a classroom assistant in the microbiology lab. 我加入的第一个组织是拉美裔联盟, 在那里我成为了秘书，并最终成为副总统. I enjoyed being a part of this cultural org and proudly displaying Latinx culture on our campus. Another org I have been involved in is Best Buddies, which I love being a part of! 毕业后我一定会想念我的朋友们的.

接下来是什么: I am very excited to begin my post-baccalaureate position at the National Institute of Environmental 健康 Sciences, 在罗德里格斯实验室工作. 不过在那之前，我已经准备好去旅行了.

If you received financial aid, what did that mean for you and your family? 金沙js6038并不是我的第一选择. I was actually committed elsewhere until they informed me they were unable to give me the financial aid I needed. 然而，金沙js6038给了我足够的经济资助. For me, financial aid was the main driver in choosing a college, but I do not regret my choice. I’m so glad I ended up at McDaniel; I would not have had the opportunities I have been so blessed with otherwise.

你是你的直系亲属中第一个上大学的吗? 这段经历对你意味着什么? I am a first-generation college student; as graduation approaches this fact has really hit me. I am excited to represent my family and carry their dreams with me as I walk across the stage to accept my diploma. My family’s encouragement has meant so much to me throughout my college experience.

你怎么和金沙js6038保持联系? I have formed such incredible bonds with my professors, and I’m so sad to leave them! However, I will definitely stay in touch with them to update them on my journey as I pursue a Ph.D. I hope to be an involved alum and stay in contact with all the amazing friends I have made at McDaniel.