Anna Mayo, a rising senior who will graduate in May, is a chemistry major on the pre-medicine track. She first looked at Muskingum because her dad is a ’77 alumnus. She also knew she wanted to attend a small, private school where she could build relationships with professors. And finally, when she visited, she was impressed with Muskingum’s Chemistry Department and the success rate of previous pre-med students. The beautiful campus and level of student involvement in on-campus activities were additional factors in her decision.
During the summer of 2015, Anna was selected as a Muskie Fellow and conducted independent biochemistry research under the supervision of chemistry professor Dr. Deepa Perera. She explains, “We studied mutations in calf thymus DNA after manipulating substrate-enzyme complexes, heat and acidic conditions.”
This summer (2016), Anna has another exciting internship lined up, this time off campus. She plans to spend two months in Guam, working in an infectious disease clinic where she will “witness the treatment of several diseases such as tuberculous, leprosy and sexually transmitted diseases.” She found this opportunity through the Centers for Disease Control.
As a Muskie, Anna played on the women’s varsity golf team. She also made a decision to take a German class her junior year, which resulted in her taking two more German classes and deciding to minor in the language. She hopes to study abroad for a few weeks after graduating next May. Anna has also served as a student representative on the Development Committee for the Board of Trustees.
Anna offers sound advice for high school seniors researching their college options: “I would encourage them to explore both the academic and student life aspects of colleges. As a college student, you are primarily going to college for an education, so it is very important to explore the area in which you are interested and make sure it is academically sound. Although your education is very important, student life involvement on campus is also important and helps make college more enjoyable.”
Post-graduation, Anna plans to attend medical school and specialize in emergency medicine or infectious disease.