Academics

Carlos Becerra-Meneses
Highland Park, Illinois

““One of the most significant experiences in biology was an internship at LFOLA where I learned about the native ecology of Illinois and the fragmentation of native prairies by human development. It opened my eyes to issues that native animals and the whole ecosystems confront with humans building up houses, chopping down the trees and taking all the possible resources. This internship made me think about the role of humans in nature and the future of our own planet. Another experience that enriched me as a biology major was conducting research with Dr. Smith on C. elegans where I gained hands on experience in trying to identify the genes that lead to pharyngeal mutations. This experience strengthen my knowledge of molecular genetics, cell and developmental biology, and exposed me to the scientific world. My biology professors and the classroom experiences have empowered me with the necessary tools to succeed in my future profession.”

Joe Campagna
Elmwood Park, Illinois

Daryn Cass
St. Charles, Illinois

“While at LFC, I developed a strong interest in neuroscience. The summer between my sophomore and junior year I started an internship as RFUMS, working in Dr. Kuei-Yuan Tseng’s lab of cellular and synaptic plasticity. I enjoyed working there so much that I stayed after the summer and have been expanding upon my original project ever since. My work involves studying the effects of cocaine exposure on neurological activity in brain regions involved in addiction. I work on all aspects of my project from running experiments and performing data analysis to making figures, and actually putting together posters and presentations to present at conferences. Currently I am looking forward to attending the annual Society for Neuroscience conference as well as turning my work into a senior thesis. I hope to enroll in an MD/PhD program after graduation and continue to contribute to the field of neuropharmacology.”

Clare Conlisk
Winnetka, Illinois

“When applying to Lake Forest College as a senior in high school, I knew I wanted to be a Biology major; and the Lake Forest College Biology department has made the experience so rewarding. My involvement in TriBeta as serving as Secretary and President, as well as peer mentoring BIO 120 and BIO 220 have been the richest experiences I have had. Watching TriBeta grow into the most visible student honorary, as well as one of the leading student organizations on campus through promoting biological interests and involving the entire campus community has been so exciting to witness--packed houses at Health Career Panels, a growing membership and exciting visitors and seminar series. Being a peer mentor helped me stay active in classroom and lab material that specifically interested me, form stronger bonds with the professors and members of the biology department, as well as with other students. I have always loved the bond the members of the biology department have and am so happy and lucky that I have been able to be hands-on in experiencing it.”

Lauren Ferrell
Leon, Kansas

“My understanding and view of biology has changed throughout my life. I grew up on a cattle ranch in Kansas, so I was surrounded by nature daily. This led to requests for bed time stories from my mom beginning with, “Well, the heart is made up of four main chambers…” However, no matter how curious I was about the natural world and the way the body works, I was hesitant to enter the sciences when I got to college. It all seemed so sterile and removed. This all changed when I became involved in both ßßß and Eukaryon. These organizations and especially others involved in them changed my understanding of how much cooperation and human interaction is involved in biology. Lake Forest College led me to this understanding and my realization of it is what led me to pursue a life in medicine.”

Michael Fiske
Northbrook, Illinois

"Without a doubt, my undergraduate research involvement has had the most significant impact on me as a developing biology major. Thanks to the ample opportunities provided by the department, I became involved in research early in my biology major career. During my freshman summer, I participated in the college's Richter Scholar program. The Richter Program pairs freshmen students with a faculty advisor from their desired discipline with whom they conduct guided research over the summer. I was fortunate enough to end up in Dr. DebBurman’s research lab where I used genetic, molecular, and biochemical approaches to help better our understanding of Parkinson’s disease, a devastating neurodegenerative disorder. My research experience helped refine my problem solving skills and, at the same time, taught me techniques that would make me a competitive applicant for graduate school programs.”

Matthew Greenwood
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

“I had the opportunity to work as an intern for a semester in the Dialysis Unit at Highland Park Hospital. Working in the unit increased my desire to pursue a career in the medical field, particularly that of a Nurse Practitioner. I had the privilege of working along side the Dialysis unit technicians and nurses, learning what it was like to be a nurse as well as the lifestyle that came with such a career. The biology classes I took at Lake Forest College allowed me to communicate on a scientific level with the nurses. Working in the hospital also showed me the personal connection nurses have with their patients, which was appealing to me. This experience has allowed me to focus my thoughts about a future career in nursing.” 
 

Elaine Gustafson
Medinah, Illinois

“As part of my Animal Behavior class I completed an independent research project on dominance hierarchies and social behaviors and communication in African Wild Dogs. This project solidified my interest in animal behavior, specifically in how social organization affects behavior and communication in animals that live in groups. It also honed my skills in literature review, research design, and data analysis, and helped me obtain a competitive internship at the Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes. My senior thesis on the effects of a dominance hierarchy on social spacing in Western Lowland Gorillas will utilize data I have helped collect at the Fisher Center.”

Robert Hodges
Tinley Park, Illinois

Paige Keasler
Lockport, Illinois

“Starting in the Spring of 2009 I was given the opportunity to work at Rosalind Franklin University doing an internship under Dr. Michelle Hastings. I spent the semester investigating splicing mechanisms and microRNAs within the polycystic kidney gene and analyzing differences between wildtype and the diseased state. I stayed the entire summer at the university and worked in the lab as a full time job furthering my project. Now I am continuing my internship and have taken on a senior thesis still investigating alternative splicing but this time focusing more on Alzheimer’s disease. I am working with actual human brain samples of people with different stages of Alzheimer’s and looking at specific genes that could be potential biomarkers in the future. Doing research in the lab and taking on my own project has allowed me to take my biology major a step further and see what kind of work I might want to pursue in the future.”

Claire Konefal
Mundelein, Illinois

“Over the summer I began working on my senior thesis in Prof. Houde’s guppy lab. This fish, Poecilia reticulata, is a model organism for studying sexual selection and my study is testing if females can remember male color frequency or if orange coloration is a determining factor for female response. From doing this research I have become more confident in my understanding of different concepts and the evolutionary process. Also, I have become more interested in going to graduate school and doing more research in the future. I would really like to get into medical related research, but that is a hard decision to make. No matter what I do, I know that everything that I have learned in my biology classes at Lake Forest College will help me in the future.” 

Ashley Legel
DeKalb, Illinois

“As a Junior Biology major, Lake Forest College assisted placing me at an internship at Highland Park Hospital. My interest in medical school drove me to pursue an internship in the medical field and as an intern for the Cardiac Imaging department I spent almost four months experiencing an exciting and challenging opportunity for course credit. The grunt work was less than ideal, but the rewards were plentiful!  In the midst of filing and copying, and faxing and phone answering, I felt among the elite and was able to see what I would hope would be the end result following a biology major at Lake Forest College. I observed numerous amounts of procedures during the times I was entering patient information into computers, and was granted an amazing opportunity to become close with many on-staff doctors, nurses, technicians, and everything in between. It opened my eyes to the variety of exciting options a degree in biology and an interest in medicine can get you and it will be an experience to draw from for a lifetime!”

Beth Noe
Gurnee, Ilinois

“Veterinary medicine has been my focus throughout my entire educational career. During my summer as Richter Scholar studying the physiological characteristics of songbirds during spring migration, my eyes were opened to the potential of practicing medicine and conducting research at the same time. This path ultimately led to an internship at Abbott Laboratories as a member of the veterinary staff, focusing on the health and humane treatment of laboratory research animals. As a biology and French double major, my internship abroad through the Lake Forest College Paris program also provided me with the unique opportunity to intern at a veterinary clinic in the heart of Paris. This multi-cultural experience instilled in me the importance of keeping science free from borders and maintaining communication between scientific communities all over the world.”

Michael Orrison
Park City, Utah

Jaime Pérez Pineda
Highland Park, Illinois

“Volunteering at the Orthotics/Prosthetics Department at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago has strengthened my passion for both my biology and studio art majors and my commitment to the field as a professional goal. I appreciated that this experience combined the different aspects of my time at Lake Forest College, from classroom learning in the sciences, mathematics, and art, and the out of the classroom experiences like lab research and people skills from being a student leader. I was working with my hands assisting the technician in assembling the different parts, reclaiming old parts, and trying to understand the long and intriguing steps that are involved in making a prosthetic limb. I also received exposure to the field by watching fittings and castings by the practitioners. These experiences have strengthened my desire to work in the allied health field and the strong biology and art background that I’ve received at LFC have made this process smoother. I think helping people who are less fortunate than me is an incredible opportunity and an obligation as a global citizen.”

Jill Pfund
Morenci, Michigan

“This past summer I applied for and was chosen to be a physical therapy aide at Illinois Bone and Joint Institute. I have been working in the Lake Forest clinic since mid May and have gained experience and knowledge that I could not have gained in a classroom. I get to be hands-on with patients as they go through rehab and I have learned how to interact with people of all kinds.  However, my interest in physical therapy stemmed from my passion for biology. Through anatomy and physiology courses and the work that I’ve done in Lake Forest College biology classes I have gained the background knowledge that is essential for my success in this field.”

Abbey Pipkorn
Hartland, Wisconsin

Hoyt Rees
Yorkville, Illinois

“During my junior year, I had the opportunity to intern at the Animal Emergency and Referral Center in Northbrook, IL. Throughout the internship I worked in various departments within the hospital including surgery, internal medicine, neurological imaging, cardiology, and the in-house lab. The highly specialized doctors and advanced equipment made it a much more rewarding experience compared to working in a non-referral veterinary clinic. The experience revealed the ups and downs of the veterinarian profession and I realized that the knowledge I gained from class was vital in even the most basic veterinary work.”

Yama Sadozai
Northbrook, Illinois

“One of the most significant research experiences that I enjoyed at Lake Forest College was conducting senior thesis research with Dr. Pliny Smith this summer. The objective of the research was to determine the genetic and molecular cause of the short pharynx phenotype observed in mutated C. elegans. The research experience not only helped me to strengthen my academic knowledge database but it tested my ability to think critically. I learned just how capricious the road to discovery can be. I also learned to be patient and problem-solve to reach innovative solutions to unexpected obstacles that may arise in the course of research. I believe my research experience has equipped me with the tools to face the vigorous demands of medical school curriculum and it has given me the work ethic needed to become a good physician in the future.”

Grace Schlafly
Naperville, Illinois

“The most valuable experience I have had as a Lake Forest College biology major was working with the Lake Forest Open Lands Association (LFOLA) as a part of Professor Gordon’s Conservation class. Working outside to conduct research in the ravines of Lake County was truly rewarding as it taught me how to collect data in the field and then organize, analyze and present it. The data we collected was reported to LFOLA and added to their database. We became a small part of a large project to better understand some of the effects of the human imprint on nature. My first contribution to an ongoing research project for the sake of habitat conservation will be one that sticks with me for a long time to come.”