As the end of the academic year approaches, the biology department at Southern Arkansas University is proud to announce that seven of its graduates have been admitted into medical schools, marking a significant milestone in their academic and professional journey.
Lauren Chambliss of Magnolia, AR, John Striednig of Lubbock, TX, and Morgan Schuster of Arlington, TX, all plan to attend the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock this fall. Chambliss majored in biochemistry and chemistry and was active in the pre-health club at SAU. Striednig majored in pre-health biology through SAU’s academic partnership with National Park College in Hot Springs. He will be the first student from the NPC-SAU collaborative program to attend medical school. Schuster was a student-athlete who was a member of the SAU volleyball team and an undergraduate researcher in Dr. James Hyde’s neuroscience laboratory, where she studied microgravity’s effects on pituitary cells.
Noah Reed of De Queen, AR, and Peyton Adams of Magnolia, AR, will attend the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Smith. Both students were also active researchers during their time at SAU. Reed investigated the use of nanoparticles to treat breast cancer cells in Dr. Adrian Showalter’s laboratory, while Adams researched the potential protective effects of antioxidants on UV-exposed organisms in Dr. Antoinette Odendaal’s toxicology lab.
Finally, two additional biology majors, Bronwyn Buchanan of Longview, TX, and Melanie Joan of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will attend medical school outside of Arkansas. Buchanan, a track athlete and public health minor while at SAU, will attend UT-Tyler School of Medicine, while Joan, who will receive a master of science degree in clinical research from Boston University this summer, plans to attend Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Parker, CO.
Dr. Antoinette Odendaal, assistant dean of the College of Science and Engineering, and chair of the pre-health advisory committee, expressed pride in the achievements of these graduates, stating, “These students have demonstrated not only academic excellence, but also a passion for the medical sciences that is, frankly, inspiring.” Her comments are echoed by the chair of the department of biology, Dr. Abe Tucker, and the chair of the department of biochemistry and chemistry, Dr. Tim Schroeder, who are both confident that these students will continue to excel as they embark on this next chapter of their education, a testament to their exceptional abilities.
SAU’s dean of the College of Science and Engineering, Dr. Abdel Bachri, also expressed his congratulations to all the SAU students planning to attend medical school this fall. “We must help to mitigate a great shortage of healthcare professionals in our region and nationally, and SAU is dedicated to recruiting and supporting future physicians and other healthcare professionals.”
For more information about SAU’s Pre-Health program, please contact ayodendaal@saumag.edu and visit the following website: https://web.saumag.edu/academics/program/biology-pre-health/
