I started off at Oklahoma State as a Sports Media major. Before my first semester of freshman year ended, I felt a pull towards the medical field so I switched to Biochemistry Pre-Med. As soon as I took the Introduction to Microbiology lecture, taught by Dr. Youusef, I immediately switched my major to Microbiology Pre-Med. I knew this was the major for me because I didn’t dread going to class, and learning the material came natural because of my huge interest. I’m so dedicated to this science that I started doing environmental microbial research with Dr. Youssef, and I recently was awarded the Niblack Research Scholarship. This major makes me want to say in college forever!

-Jenna Borrelli

I chose Microbiology as my major because of my desire to be a lifelong learner. Bacterial species and microbes are everywhere and are thriving in their environments. Due to their plentiful conditions, they will continuously modify their genes and therefore become resistant to vaccines and attack the hosts' immune system. This ultimately sparked my interest in Microbiology early in my academic career. The faculty and staff within the Microbiology department are exceptional and are great teachers. They are excellent resources for students who are interested in partaking in research while here at Oklahoma State. There are endless possibilities with a degree in Microbiology and that is what I love most. It can be a good starting point to a career in Medicine or any other graduate program that one hopes to attend.

-Troy Adkins II

When I was enrolling for classes my freshman year my major was psychology. I wanted to be a Genetic Counselor (I still do) and I thought that was the correct path to take. As soon as I told Dana Hatter my plan, her eyes lit up and she started talking about all of the wonders of the microbiology department--the people involved, and how this program would be the one to help me become excellent in my chosen profession. She was right, everything that I love about OSU has to do witht the microbiology department. It is like my second home. I am confident and proud in the major I have chosen and I am excited for what the future holds in this field and in my life.

-Abigail Peters

I am originally from Mexico, and back at home, even to this day, there is an immense amount of information that maintains rural communities from properly caring about issues such as food safety, antibiotic resistance pathogens, and day to day infections. As I grew up in these communities, I became aware of the efforts the scientific community continues to do. I chose a career in microbiology due to the inspiration of these issues in my life, and my vision in aiding rural communities to further understand the impact of microbes in the world. OSU’s Microbiology department will aid me to equip myself with knowledge to teach these communities. I plan to do this by applying for the Peace Corp program with a focus in Education, as well as applying to the Fulbright Program to further develop as a scientist. Ultimately, this degree represents the beginning of my future as an advocate for rural community education. As the president of the Hispanic Student Association, my participation in this program encourages other Hispanic first-generation college students to apply to the Microbiology field and not limit themselves. As the son of an immigrant, my participation in this undergraduate program also gives hope to our dreamers of the endless opportunities that the OSU and the Microbiology Department have to offer. This program will be my propeller as a microbiologist who hopes to educate others and prevent outbreaks all around the world.

-Sergio Mares

Coming into OSU, I was 100% positive that I wanted to major in a science. However, I was indecisive about which science until after I completed MICR 2132- Introduction to Microbiology Laboratory the summer before my Junior year. After spending June & July collecting, isolating, and identifying an unknown environmental species, I fell in love with working in the Microbiology laboratory. I soon made the decision to major in Microbiology and explore the awesome field of Medical Laboratory Science.

-Robin Spencer

Given the opportunity of obtaining another degree within the College of Arts and Sciences, Microbiology was clear and obvious choice. With the abundant amount of research opportunities that the faculty within the department has to offer, this intensified my passion to continue exploring and pursuing these newly opportunities. Microbiology provides students like myself the resources necessary to discover future careers whether that be Graduate or Medical School and likewise the medial laboratory sciences path. It’s not Microbiology itself that gravitated me towards this degree, it was the culture it presented.

-Brenden Determann II

I chose Microbiology because it really seemed to fit what I was interested in: a science degree full of classes that were fascinating and useful for my future career, which is medicine. I came in freshman year as a chemical engineer major, thinking that would set me apart from other med school applicants. However, I realized I wasn't interested in engineering, and spending four years on that degree would not have been enjoyable for me. After looking into other programs I could switch to, Micro really caught my eye because of the variety of classes offered. They all sound so interesting - it's hard to pare down which ones I want to take each semester! The degree is challenging enough to keep me working hard for my grades, but the material is so applicable and useful that it doesn't feel like work when I'm studying. I love the microbiology department!

-Morgan Williams

I chose to major in microbiology because I went into college wanting a challenge. I knew I would end up in the science field, and when I looked into microbiology it stood out the most. I joined a microbiology research lab my freshman year and fell in love with the hands on process of answering a question by carrying out experiments. Microbiology will always be relevant for health sciences and create numerous medical advancements in terms of understanding disease. With a major in microbiology, I am able to pursue the medical lab sciences program, and turn scientific projects into a career. It is not an easy major and that makes being a part of it feel so much more rewarding.

-Gracia Lewis