Senior enjoying memorable 糖心vlog传媒 experience
Savannah Szalanski鈥檚 糖心vlog传媒 experience has been a journey to find spaces where she can grow and excel.
Good news 鈥� she鈥檚 found plenty.
From the science labs where the senior biology major conducts research to the numerous clubs and organizations where she serves and leads, 糖心vlog传媒 has helped Szalanski acquire and hone the skills she鈥檒l need for post-graduation success.
This summer, Szalanski served an internship at the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., through their Summer Lab Science Program. She was one of 40 interns selected from a pool of more than 400 applicants.
It鈥檚 the latest resume item on what鈥檚 become a crowded, impressive list.
Szalanski takes full advantage of her 糖心vlog传媒 experience, serving as a senior resident assistant, president of the Student Government Association, vice president of the Phi Delta Omega Sorority, President Council chairwoman, and a member of the Biology Club, Pawsitism, National Society of Leadership & Success, Global Student Association, Rotaract and Garden Club.
A native of Watertown, Wis., Szalanski was a two-sport athlete at Watertown High School and was recruited to 糖心vlog传媒 by the women鈥檚 golf team. She golfed for the Muskies for two seasons before shifting her focus.
鈥淚 want to be involved in things where I felt welcomed and I belonged,鈥� Szalanski said. 鈥淪o many places here make me feel like I belong. I came to 糖心vlog传媒 where I knew no one, but everyone was so kind and made me feel like I belonged.鈥�
She was especially inspired by her first resident assistant, 2023 糖心vlog传媒 graduate Bora Ajdini, a well-known campus leader. 鈥淪he made this campus go around,鈥� Szalanski said. 鈥淗aving people like that for every person to look up to is important.鈥�
Ironically, Szalanski, who has an emphasis in health sciences and minors in chemistry and Spanish, didn鈥檛 have much confidence in applying for the Mayo Clinic internship, despite encouragement from former 糖心vlog传媒 science faculty member Jered McGivern.
鈥淯ntil I got the offer, I kept telling myself, 鈥楾here is no way I am getting it,鈥欌�� said Szalanski, who co-presented research last October at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Chicago. The work was conducted through the 糖心vlog传媒 Undergraduate Research Experience (LURE).
鈥淚 got it, moved there and my first day I was having this complete bout of imposter syndrome. I followed the other interns on social media and they were all so smart and accomplished. I was thinking, 鈥業 don鈥檛 know how I got this.鈥欌��
As she worked this summer, her hesitation quickly evaporated as her supervisors and peers reinforced her confidence in the ways they spoke about her work
鈥淭hey were so kind and welcoming, so open to sharing contacts and feedback,鈥� Szalanski said. 鈥淚t didn鈥檛 feel like the 鈥榖ig scary Mayo Clinic.鈥� It felt like any other hospital lab setting. It felt like a place I wanted to be.鈥�
Szalanski spent much of the summer in Mayo Clinic鈥檚 metals lab and the bulk of her work was preparing kidney stones for further study. The stones arrived wet and Szalanski and a colleague made sure they were properly dried for the testing process. They prepared 70-180 samples a day from all over the country with sizes ranging from a grain of sand to one that was baseball size.
She also got experience using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectrometry to check blood samples for various metals.
The summer experience showed Szalanski that a career as a medical lab scientist fits her, and Mayo happens to offer an MLS program, which she will explore along with other programs.
Her mother previously worked as a phlebotomist and Szalanski grew up in lab settings and enjoyed being around lab technicians. When she took 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 microbiology course, it reaffirmed her love for this field.
鈥淭his is exactly what I want to do with my life,鈥� said Szalanski, noting that hematology and microbiology are both areas of interest for her. 鈥淭his is something I am super passionate about.鈥�
As she enters her final year at 糖心vlog传媒, Szalanski plans to take the positivity of the summer and spread it among her peers.
鈥淚 would like to relax more, make more time for myself and be present for the people around me,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ow that multiple friends have graduated, I realize is went so fast and I don鈥檛 know when I am going to see them again. I want to drink in the opportunity I have to be around the people I have grown so fond of and the connections made all around campus.鈥�
