Hometown: Adel, Iowa
Major: Biology
Minor: Spanish

Why did you choose Iowa State University?

I chose ISU because when I visited campus, I already felt like I had a place here!

How did you become interested in your major?

I loved science growing up, and I was drawn to biology because I wanted to understand how life worked at the smallest level!

What are your current goals following graduation?

After graduation I will be attending Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine, graduating in 2026 with a DVM.

Internships: I interned both at my hometown veterinary clinic, and as a student research assistant at Boehringer Ingelheim in the ISU research park. Though these two internships were very different, they offered me amazing experience in the veterinary field which helped me in my admission into vet school! I really enjoyed having an outlet outside of school to funnel my passion towards, and these experiences both prepared me well for my future in biology

Campus activities: I have been involved in Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, Kairos Student Ministry, and Pre-Vet Club at Iowa State. I served in leadership roles in all three of these organizations and it helped me immensely with my time management and communication skills. Being involved in these clubs also gave me a sense of community at Iowa State, which makes it feel a lot smaller and more personal.

Research experience: I started in the Spring of 2020 with Dr. Jodi McGill Researching the immune response to respiratory disease in cattle. Because of the pandemic, this experiment was cut short but I really enjoyed the time I spent with the research team. This experience prepared me well for my later internship in a laboratory, because I learned some great skills involved with research work.

What are a few things you love about your major and department?

I love that the biology curriculum at Iowa State covers a wide variety of areas including ecology, evolution, and genetics.

How would you fill in the blank for high school students interested in your field?

“You’re going to love studying the sciences at Iowa State because ….”

Even if you don’t know exactly where your passion lies in biology, the variety of opportunities at Iowa State will give you experiences that will lead you to your interests!

Do you have an example of how a professor or staff member has supported you at Iowa State?

One of my biology professors was very helpful each week when I did not understand the class material or had questions. He eventually wrote me a letter of recommendation for vet school because of all of the extra time and effort I put into the class.

Last comments:

Something that surprised me about majoring in Biology at Iowa State was how much extra room I had to take classes in some of my other areas of interest. I was able to take classes in Spanish, hospitality management, and kinesiology as well!