Sharday Ewell
Posted: August 31st, 2010 | Author: dnimas_scholar | Filed under: students | Tags: 2007, biology, research, students | No Comments »What year did you graduate?
2007
What was your major?
Biology/Pre-Professional
Where are you from?
Triangle, Virginia
Do you have any advanced degrees?
Not yet
What are you currently doing (professionally)?
4th year PhD student in Neuroscience Graduate Program at The University of Alabama at Birmingham
How would you describe DNIMAS to someone who doesn’t know about the program?
DNIMAS is a scholarship program at Norfolk State University for students who are interested in the basic sciences, mathematics, and engineering. The program prepares its students for graduate school and/or professional school.
How did DNIMAS help you get to where you are?
DNIMAS definitely put me on track to get into graduate school. The requirements set gave me a huge advantage when I was applying for school (not my words- I was told this by my interviewers and current graduate school program director.) Not only did I have research experience by virtue of the summer internships that we were required to do, I also had taken (and passed) classes that serve as a foundation for first year graduate studies. Also, I have no school
loans to pay back, making it much easier to focus on school!
How did DNIMAS help you non academically/professionally?
One of the most important things that I got out of DNIMAS was the importance of giving back to and inspiring
others. So often I find that people tend to get caught up in what they are doing and achieving their goals that they forget to reach back and help others. Volunteer work is a huge component of my life because of DNIMAS. Even though that one hour volunteer work requirement each week was a pain (at the time), it showed me just how influential
I can be in one person’s life. During my time at UAB, I have initiated Brain Awareness Week activities as well as volunteer as Girl Scout troop leader-two things that I wouldn’t have even thought to do had it not been for DNIMAS.
What activities did you participate in when you weren’t studying?
Spartan Calvary, was an ACCESS tutor, volunteered with local Girl Scout troop, member of Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority, Inc.
What was your favorite DNIMAS memory?
Studying (and socializing—a lot!) in the study room in Lee Smith during Junior year.
What did you least like about DNIMAS?
There was a lot of variability in requirements/ expectations. I understand that changes were made to make the program a little more solid but the constant shift in requirements made it difficult for us to know what was
required or expected of us at times.
What do you think would be different about your life if you weren’t in DNIMAS?
I think that without DNIMAS, I would have taken a different road professionally. I do not think that I would be in graduate school now had I not been in this program. On a non academic/professional level, I think that I would not push myself the way I do now had I not been in the program. Being in DNIMAS forced me out of my comfort zone and caused me to challenge myself.
Do you still keep in contact with people from DNIMAS?
Yes
What advice could you pass on to current DNIMAS scholars?
First and foremost, enjoy your time in undergrad because you will definitely miss it when it is over. Second, always
keep in mind that all the DNIMAS requirements are set in place for a reason. Once you graduate and go on to professional school or graduate school, you will see how a lot of those things are applicable to your life. So, it may suck to do a lot of these things now but you will be glad that you did them.