Opportunities

Description of the video:

AARON KILE: These experiences have been the backbone of my college career. They have given me an outlet to apply in-class knowledge to real-world problems. These opportunities have allowed me to pursue a master's in biochemistry and molecular biology.

My name is Aaron Kile. I am a recent graduate from IU Indianapolis, and my hands-on learning experience was undergraduate research in Dr. Ann Kimble-Hill's lab focusing on potential biomarkers for aggressive cancers.

What got my attention to get into undergraduate research as a premed student? I knew that I needed a lot of research to be able to have my resume stand out for medical schools, so I started looking around, and what actually got me very firstly in the door is Dr. Baucum. I was in one of his classes. I was very interested in the material, and I asked a lot of questions, and that opened up the door for me to be able to start my Engaged Learning experience and research.

The skills I have learned and the experiences I have acquired from research have been a gateway for me from undergrad to master's. Likewise, they have equally made me competitive and the recipient of the Graduate University Fellowship, a very competitive and prestigious award.

As an aspiring medical-school applicant, my research experience is also the strongest part of my upcoming medical-school application due to the opportunities I have been given through the Engaged Learning program. One significant way I have been able to apply the skills I have learned in this program has been in group projects through my classes. I have applied cultural fluency in working with students of diverse backgrounds to promote their inclusion, motivation, and hard work. I have also demonstrated great leadership potential that I have been chosen as a leader consistently by my professors and peers since sophomore year on all group projects.

Dr. Baucum, my first professor and mentor, introduced me to the world of undergraduate research. This started a cascade of inspiration from other professors like Dr. Marrs and Dr. Cummings and mentors like Dr. Turley and Dr. Kimble who saw me through the rest of my college career.

Research Day is an annual all-discipline undergraduate research conference held here at IU Indianapolis where students or faculty can present their research publicly to the campus. Presenting at IU Indianapolis's research conference has helped me as an individual to get comfortable presenting complicated scientific concepts to both other scientists who would understand what I'm talking about but also to other nonscientists because the conferences is of all disciplines. So it helped me to get comfortable getting the research into layman terms but also explaining the complexities of the work.

I think all students should have the opportunity to participate in Engaged Learning and experiences. It fosters creativity outside of the classroom to real-world applications. Students have a platform to showcase their work to peers and other professionals in their respective fields. They're renetworked with amazing mentors who challenge them to grow, to be well rounded.

I have personally not encountered a more sharpening experience to prepare students for the next steps after graduation that has delivered the same level of service to IUPUI students as Engaged Learning programs have.

I would tell these students that opportunities come to those who are most prepared to receive them. Hands-on learning is preparing you to be in the best position for your postgraduate opportunities. So do your best. Take advantage of the networking opportunities. Maximize your public presentation opportunities, and expound on your mentorship and peer collaborations.