Scholar of the Week: October 21

Amber Harlan

Reggie Thompson
The Paw Print

Senior Cellular and Molecular Biology major Amber Harlan is coming up on the home stretch of her undergraduate collegiate career and is finishing strong.
This semester, Harlan is taking Comparative Anatomy, Molecular Biology II, Sociology and Art Appreciation in an attempt to finish her general education courses, but she generally averages 18 credit hours per semester.  
To add to this heavy work load, she is also chief justice of the senate, president of Tri Beta  National Biological Honor Society, a student ambassador for the school, a tutor for all biology courses, and she does volunteer work through the hospital. In addition, she is both a Porter and Woodard Scholar, the former allowing her to conduct fruit fly gene annotation research relating with peer Josh Machone, as mentored by professor Dr. James Bedard.
In November of 2010, this group presented their research as part of a ASC Lunchtime Talk.  The purpose of this project was to provide these students with the opportunity to learn how to make sense of large scale genomic sequencing.
Harlan was nominated by Professor of Physics and Chair Chemistry, Computer Science and Mathematics Dr. Matthew Nehring who had this to say about this Scholar of the Week:
“I know Amber Harlan primarily through the Porter Scholars Program. She was selected for the Porter Scholars Program because of her outstanding academic achievement Not only does she perform at the top of nearly every class and have an exceptionally high GPA.”
Maintaining a 3.9 grade point average, this academically active student takes pride in working hard in every aspect of her life.
“I approach my academics as if they are my job. In order to be accepted into medical school, you must display an outstanding academic record,” states Harlan.  “I take them very seriously and give full effort no matter what class it is.”
This fact was made more evident to her when she was preparing for the grueling Medical College Admission Test, commonly known as the MCAT, while still taking care of her original course load.  The MCAT is a computer-based standardized test for potential medical students in the United States. Its purpose is to assess problem solving, critical thinking, written analysis, and writing skills with regard to knowledge of scientific concepts and principles
Harlan gets creative in doing her study habits, as well, creating her own study guides based upon the class’ lectures and reading assignments.
Following her time here at Adams State, Harlan confidently hopes to become a doctor.  She is currently applying to medical schools with her efforts are going toward pursuing a career as a surgeon.