North Carolina Central University (NCCU) produces scholars who gain hands-on experience and emerge job-ready or equally well-qualified to enter graduate or professional school.
Three senior Biological and Biomedical Sciences students say their summer research experiences provided essential skills they will need to pursue advanced degrees, despite challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Honor student Jonathan Harpe participated in the Harvard Medical School Summer Honors Undergraduate Research Program, which gives underrepresented students 10 weeks of paid, scholarly research experience under academic research mentor.
“Although the internship was held virtually, individuals at Harvard Medical School were all incredibly receptive and welcoming, providing a safe and inclusive space for underrepresented minority college students like myself,” Harpe said.
During Harpe’s internship, he analyzed research data on the nervous system and its effect on human development. His research included niche topics on the brain traditionally not covered in a traditional human anatomy course, he explained.
“NCCU has not only provided me with the knowledge to become a well-versed and informed scientist, but has also given me the opportunity to develop a scientific mindset to be inquisitive and curious,” Harpe said.
The internship “complemented what I learned in class,” he added.
“I was provided a new perspective on genetics and how it can be applied to neuroscience, knowledge of the anatomy of the brain and its ventricular system and, most interestingly, how the brain regulates genes depending on age.”
Other aspects of the internship Harpe found instrumental included assistance with graduate-school preparation tasks, such as resume workshops, networking opportunities, and instruction on writing National Science Foundation grants.
“The program is well curated and organized to provide every resource you can imagine to pursue career goals,” Harpe said.
The Jacksonville, N.C., native plans to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience with a focus in neural engineering and technology.
Also participating in a transformative summer experience was Jailyn Smith, whose experience involved metastatic breast cancer research at the Medical Scientist Training Program Summer Research Program. Her nine-week program took place on site at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. During the fellowship, she also participated in journal clubs, clinical case studies and volunteered at the local Veterans Administration Hospital.
Smith has studied breast cancer since her freshman year in the laboratory alongside her mentor, Jodie Fleming, Ph.D., associate professor of Biological and Biomedical Sciences.
That hands-on experience at NCCU has been key to her interest in cancer research. In 2020, she completed a virtual internship at Johns Hopkins Pulmonary and Critical Unit.
“NCCU has instilled in me the confidence to do research and become a scientist,” Smith said. “Participating in this internship provided the opportunity to discuss my undergraduate research experience and demonstrate the knowledge and career-readiness that NCCU has instilled in me.”
Her commitment to achievement also is evident in academics. She is a Cheatham-White Scholar and maintains her status as an honor student while also being active in university science and health organizations, including NCCU’s chapter of Beta Beta Beta Biological Science Honor Society, NCCU Journal Club, Health Occupation Students of America, NCCU The Bridge, and serving as president for Science African American Majors Evolving Club.
Participating in science-related student organizations has helped her become familiar with scientific literature other types of science communications, Smith said.
The Winston-Salem, N.C., native is also a member of the Alpha Lambda Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society. Smith also has contributed to the community through her work as a volunteer at various coronavirus vaccine clinics in the Triangle and Triad.
Upon graduation, she plans to pursue a medical degree and a Ph.D. as she works toward a career as a physician-scientist, focusing on cancer biology and health disparities.
Greensboro, N.C., native Megan Gaines spent her last summer as a college student serving as an intern for the UNC’s Carolina Summer Fellowship Program in pharmacology.
Gaines learned of the opportunity during NCCU’s virtual internship fair and credits the university with providing her with the resources and connections to qualify for the internship.
“Making a significant contribution to the lab, while also learning new things, was a great experience,” Gaines said. “To be able to present my research at the end of the summer was also very rewarding.”
During her internship, Gaines studied resistance and sensitivity experienced by patients in chemotherapy to document drug responses. She said learning about the immune system in class provided contextual information for her successful research experience.
In 2020, Gaines was determined not to give education the back seat when the coronavirus pandemic began. She continued her studies while serving as a virus contract-tracer for the Carolina Community Tracing Collaborative.
The Cheatham-White Scholar is a member of NCCU The Bridge, Science African American Majors Evolving Club, the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students and also serves as vice president of the NCCU chapter of the Beta Beta Beta Biological Science Honor Society. She has volunteered with the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and the UNC Friday Center.
Upon graduation, she plans to attend medical school.
