Microbiology 2020 Newsletter

The microbiology student ambassadors have been a staple in the department for many years. The program began when individuals in our department realized that we were missing an integral part of the recruiting process because high school students will not usually listen to “grown ups” when it comes to what major they should choose for their college career. The ambassadors are a group of students who are passionate about their major and love to share that passion and the knowledge they have gained throughout their years as a Microbiology major with anyone who will listen to their pitch. In the past, the ambassador’s job was to attend recruiting events to get to know juniors and seniors in high school to help them with their choice of major. Another job of the ambassadors is to attend some of the 1111: Microbiology Student Seminar to get to know the incoming freshmen and help them with creating their schedule and assist in deciding a career goal from the perspective of a peer. This year was slightly different, the new ambassadors (chosen in the spring) could not attend recruiting events or really get any one on one interaction with the new students due to COVID-19 restrictions, so a new idea was born. This year the ambassadors began a mentor program. This was an idea to help freshmen become more comfortable in their major and have a person they can talk to if college is proving to be difficult. With the lack of classroom interaction this year’s freshmen are getting, it seemed like a good idea to help them out and give them an upperclassman that they could contact when needed. So far, this new initiative is working well. If you are interested in getting involved either as a mentor or a mentee, contact your advisor Tyler George! Applications for the ambassador program will be released spring semester so, if you are interested make sure you are regularly checking your email. This semester has been unprecedented to say the least, and Microbiology Club has definitely been affected by the pandemic. Over the past few years, Microbiology Club has held bimonthly meetings and activities, but with the precautions set to limit contact with others, we decided to hold this semester's meetings on zoom. While people adjusted to all of the changes occurring, the officers thought one meeting a month would be the best way to keep the club alive without taking up too much time. The meetings we had planned for this semester were student research spotlights, professors speaking about their research and graduate school experience, and a microbiology themed Kahoot game. However, we noticed an expected decrease in attendance. With more classes being moved back to in-person next semester, we are hoping that we can hold meetings on campus again. The officers have not decided on how many meetings there will be yet, but we plan on making them fun and informational. Most importantly, we can't wait to see all of our members again! Natali Edwards Microbiology Club President Microbiology Club Update Undergraduate Student Ambassadors 2019-2020 Microbiology Ambassadors