WASHINGTON, PA (April 8, 2015) — Seven Washington & Jefferson College (W&J) students will gain experience conducting research at state-of-the-art facilities this summer as part of the Merck Internships for Excellence in Science program.
W&J students Danielle Berlin ’16, cell and molecular biology major; Aric Brown ’17, cell and molecular biology major; Cody Kuhel ’16, general biology major; Tyler McCullough ’17, biochemistry major; Kerry McGowen ’16, biochemistry major; Nihal Patel ’15, neuroscience major; and Joseph Williams ’16, biochemistry major are recipients of the internship award.
These esteemed internships are funded by the Merck Institute for Science Education (MISE) and are intended to give students one-of-a-kind experiences in scientific research opportunities. Financial support through scholarships is provided for undergraduate students to conduct research during summer internships.
Internship fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis, giving W&J science faculty the flexibility to match the most exciting research opportunities with the most qualified students.
Williams will study the role of the Wnt signaling pathway in tumor progression in colorectal cancer at Cambridge University in Cambridge, England with Dr. Marc de la Roche.
“This internship will enable me to better understand and apply the material I am currently learning at W&J. It will also provide me with valuable skills that I hope to continue using in my pursuit of a career as a physician scientist,” Williams said.
Candy DeBerry, Ph.D., associate professor of biology at W&J, said she is proud of the students for gaining such an invaluable opportunity that will be used not only during their time at W&J, but also in their future careers.
“W&J students who do off-campus internships apply the concepts and use the skills they’ve learned in the classroom, the laboratory, and the field to do cutting-edge scientific research in research-intensive environments at some of the most renowned scientific institutions in the world,” DeBerry said.
Brown will study bacterial pathogenesis at the University of Pennsylvania, and said that it is opportunities like the Merck Program that set W&J students apart.
“I hope that my internship will benefit W&J as a whole by attesting to other students that W&J students are ‘marketable’ and well prepared to get internships at top-tier institutions,” Brown said.
About Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, located in Washington, Pa., is a selective liberal arts college founded in 1781. Committed to providing each of its students with the highest-quality undergraduate education available, W&J offers a traditional arts and sciences curriculum emphasizing interdisciplinary study and independent study work.
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