Stories

In February, when the call went out for volunteers to help staff the Texas Christian University/Baylor Scott & White Health Community Vaccine Site, the Pre-Health Professions Institute in the College of Science & Engineering jumped at the opportunity to help.

Another graduating class of Horned Frogs is ready to change the world for the greater good. Finishing strong amid a pandemic, members of the class of 2021 have proved their resilience and grit, skills valued by potential employers.

Joyce Akinnibosun is a senior nutrition major with a biology minor, on the pre-dental track. Despite the challenges of the pandemic and shifts to virtual learning, she has been accepted to every dental school in Texas. Akinnibosun grew up in Cedar Hill, Texas, and came to TCU on a scholarship as a biology major, but eventually switched to nutrition when she discovered she enjoys learning about nutrition and health.

Jessica Boyce ’20 graduated from TCU with a biology major and minors in Spanish and anthropology. Boyce is from Charlotte, North Carolina, and came to TCU on the pre-health track. After graduating last year, she used her EMT license to volunteer with an organization in Mexico during her gap year before entering physician’s assistant school this May.

Ally Lunich and Sawyer Diaz, two pre-health students, have been working to create volunteer opportunities for their peers during the pandemic. Lunich and Diaz recently put together a list of more than 40 charitable and non-profit organizations, both locally and nationally, to provide virtual volunteering opportunities to pre-health students.

Lisa Nash ’87 graduated from TCU with a degree in biology. Originally from Brock, Texas, a small town just west of Fort Worth, she grew up hearing about TCU. Since she was a small child, Nash always knew she wanted to be a doctor. The reputation of the pre-health program and the offer of a full scholarship made Nash choose to pursue her education at TCU. Nash developed a virtual family medicine preceptorship (FMP) for TCU students.

The inaugural TCU STEM & Culture Symposium will focus on the theme “Embrace Your Story: Bringing Your Whole Self to STEM.” The virtual event will be held Friday, April 9 from 2-4 p.m. CST via Zoom. The symposium is open to students, faculty, staff.

Sean Haight ’09 graduated from TCU with a degree in mechanical engineering. He went on to earn his master’s in transportation safety engineering from George Washington University, and then his doctorate in computational science from George Mason University. As the Senior Staff Passive Safety Test Engineer at Tesla, he is in charge of crash and safety testing.

“We are currently consuming resources at a rate that will prevent future generations from having enough food, water, electricity, or other resources that are necessary to live. Sustainability efforts help everyone to consume less, consume with purpose and conserve resources for future generations,” Professor of Professional Practice Becky Johnson said.