Career Opportunities
A degree in biology opens the door to a multitude of interesting careers. Your undergraduate degree can help you to find a research position in government, academics, or industry. It is also an excellent preparation for professional or graduate school. In fact, a large percentage of Clarkson biology majors enroll in graduate programs and have successful careers in medicine and industry. Read about some of our graduates below.
"The flexibility of
the Clarkson Biology program has allowed me to take classes
in physics and math in addition to my biology requirements.
This has enabled me to pursue Biophysics in graduate school."
— Jessica
Snyder '05 is a Ph.D. student in Biophysics at the
University of Rochester.
"At
Clarkson, students have the opportunity to perform research
and get "hands on" experience early on — which
is both challenging and rewarding. Research was one of
my most valuable experiences at Clarkson, I learned more
in the lab about school and life then I ever did in the
classroom. I made connections and friends that I maintain
to this day. Plus, I was able to contribute to the scientific
community and I had some of my research published."
— Laura Smith '03, '04 earned her B.S. and M.S. at Clarkson. She is currently a medical student at Saint Georges University.
"The
education that I received through the Biology Department
at Clarkson has proven invaluable in my study of medicine.
The help from professors and the variety of courses offered
allowed me to develop a strong background in the basic
sciences that is necessary to be competitive at higher
levels."
— Ryan Bodkin '03 is a medical student at the University of Buffalo Medical School.
"During
my four years at Clarkson, I took advantage of every opportunity
that came my way. I began by working in the research lab
to study papillomaviruses and human cancer. I had the
help of both my academic advisor and my research mentor,
who pushed me to explore all my options while at Clarkson."
— Mandy Heitzke '01 is a technician at Acambis, Inc. in Cambridge,
MA.
"Clarkson
gave me a strong background in biology that has carried
over to my career. The personal attention and the availability
of the faculty were helpful. I would encourage current
biology majors to get involved in research while they
are still at Clarkson. It is a great experience that aids
in gaining employment and getting into graduate school."
— Heather Lyons '96 is a research assistant working on
her thesis project in epidemiology at The University of
Texas School of Public Health.
"Faculty
members brought their own individual experiences into
their teaching, making learning concepts both more interesting
and more applicable. Clarkson has helped me greatly in
my pursuit of a career in medicine."
— Jen Bashant '01 graduated from SUNY Upstate College of Medicine and is currently performing residency training in Boston.
"My research at Clarkson
taught me the value of a clearly designed research plan
and well-defined research questions. I valued the dedicated
professors and the opportunity to tutor other students.
Being a TA helped me to develop and refine my public speaking
and mentorship skills which I use daily in my job. Most
of all, I am thankful for the incredible faculty in the
Biology Department who continue to support me and stay
in contact."
— Colleen Peck-Reuland '97
obtained an M.S. degree in Evaluative Clinical Sciences
from Dartmouth Medical School.
"I had a great experience at Clarkson and
have a number of fond memories. In particular, the small
class size and the availability of the faculty were very
important. In general, I think that the engineering and
business atmosphere at Clarkson did a good job preparing
me for clinical medicine."
— Pat Gregory
'87 is a cardiologist at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth,
Virginia and a faculty in the Internal Medicine Residency
Program. He trained in internal medicine and cardiology
at Naval Medical Centers in Portsmouth and San Diego.
"My time at
Clarkson helped to impress upon me the importance of dedication
and hard work. These principles helped me successfully
matriculate in a medical school after graduating from
Clarkson."
— Steve Greer '90 is a resident
in Internal Medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School.
"My Clarkson background, particularly the required senior research project, fostered my interest in research and resulted in my transition to graduate work. The close personal interaction with Clarkson faculty left a lasting impression."
— Peter Takes '79, Ph.D., RAC , is Senior Director of Clinical and Healthcare Compliance and Clinical Compliance Officer at Stereotaxis, Inc. which manufactures devices for minimally invasive cardiological and neurological surgery.
"I am part
of a legacy, my father and brother are also Clarkson alumni.
The most important aspects of a Clarkson education are
the quality of the faculty, the quality of the curriculum
(both timely and challenging) and the realization that
with hard work and dedication I could be anything that
I wanted to be."
— Marc E. Hofmann '90 is
a physician with a private practice in Memphis, Tennessee,
and he is interested in Sleep Disorders.