Thanks in part to a very successful fundraising effort on Give Green Day last year—totaling more than $18,800 from donors like you—students in the College of Natural Science are having real-life, hands-on research experiences under the mentorship of world-class faculty members...as undergraduates!
Your gifts went right to work to support programming, infrastructure, and most importantly, financial aid, so that these aspiring scientists can pursue their passions, shape their career goals and find a sense of home in scientific research and the community that comes with it.
The Charles Drew Science Scholars program, consisting of about 250 undergraduate students, is that community for Oluwabusola Ajagbe, who came to MSU from Lagos, Nigeria to major in neuroscience with a minor in Chinese.
Being a part of a living-learning environment made up of dedicated advisors and like-minded classmates and friends helped Oluwabusola transition to a new country and culture; while research opportunities helped to tie her interests together and channel her curiosity about the connections between the human body and the brain.
“Participating in research has helped broaden my knowledge of science and has given me the opportunity to experience what it’s like to work in the research world, which, in turn, has led to my deepened love for science” Oluwabusola says.
Now in her fourth year, she will also be sharing her experiences and her work as a student researcher with the public as part of another donor-supported program in the College of Natural Science: the Dean’s Research Scholars.