 |
Zach Sherrod '13 |
“Choosing to go to school at Randolph-Macon College was easy once I took a tour of the campus,” says
Zach Sherrod ’13. “The admissions counselors remembered my name when I returned to the campus a month later. That was unheard of at the other schools I visited and it made me feel like I was at home.”
Sherrod, a Fredericksburg, Virginia native, says his initial impressions of the college still ring true. “At first sight, Randolph-Macon looked like a small college with a lot of friendly people, and that is still the case,” he says. “The college has a tight-knit community and it is a rare occasion when I walk down the sidewalk to class or to the dining hall when I don’t see at least one person that I know.”
To read more Student Experience stories, click here. On the Right Track
A
chemistry major, Sherrod is following a pre-medical track at R-MC. “Being a member of the Pre-medical Society—a student-run initiative—definitely has its advantages, as I am able to meet and interact with both admission officials from medical colleges and R-MC alumni who are doctors,” he says. “Professor Jim Foster (
biology) has worked with me to determine which R-MC classes will help me succeed on the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) and improve my chances of being accepted to medical school.” In spring 2011, Sherrod was inducted into the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honorary Society.
Reaching Out Sherrod is also pursuing a minor in Spanish, something that has connected him to the community beyond the R-MC campus. Through his 2010 J-term Conversational Spanish class, taught by Professor Patricia Reagan, Sherrod and his classmates worked with the Virginia Association of Area Agencies on Aging (VAAAA). “We participated in an outreach program that serves the Hispanic community’s elderly citizens and taught them how to prevent becoming a victim of Medicare fraud,” he says. “It was really cool because it not only related to the class I was taking, but it also gave me some medical-related community service that I can put on my résumé.” In conjunction with the same class, Sherrod was a guide for English For Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students whereby he interacted with Spanish speakers and then led them to their English classes. “That was really fun because it gave me a practical use for the things that I was learning in class,” he says.
Making a Difference Sherrod was involved in the Presidential Scholarship interviews that took place on campus in January and March 2010. The R-MC Presidential Scholars Program recognizes students who have demonstrated the highest levels of academic achievement and leadership. “It was really cool to talk to potential students and give my opinion of R-MC,” he says. “It was a great opportunity for current and potential students to interact with professors who teach the majors in which they’re interested. Interviewing potential students is something I really enjoyed because it was fun and made me feel like I was making a difference.”
Inspired to Help
Sherrod’s post-R-MC plans include applying to the Medical College of Virginia, part of Virginia Commonwealth University. “I want to study surgery and specialize in orthopedics,” he says. “I want to do this because when I was a baby, I was born without a properly formed hip socket and underwent surgery to have it corrected. Without orthopedic surgeons I would not have the life I have now, and I want to be able to give that same opportunity to other people.”
For more information on R-MC’s chemistry program, visit
http://www.rmc.edu/academics/chemistry.aspx For more information on R-MC’s Modern Languages program, visit
http://www.rmc.edu/Academics/modern-languages.aspx For more information about the breadth of programs and opportunities available at Randolph-Macon or to schedule a campus visit, contact our Admissions Office at (800) 888-1762 or at admissions@rmc.edu