5/22/12
 |
Darcy Paulus '12 |
“Biology Professor Grace Lim Fong has been absolutely essential to my success at Randolph-Macon College,” says
Darcy Paulus ’12.
Paulus, a
biology major from Grand Rapids, Michigan, has twice conducted research under the guidance of Lim Fong, her academic advisor.
SURF
“She is an incredible mentor,” says Paulus. “I did both of my
SURF (Schapiro Undergraduate Research Fellowship) projects with her and she solidified my love for science. She cares about my success and is interested in my goals for the future. When I was planning my senior capstone project, I struggled to find a doctor whom I could shadow. Professor Lim Fong called a Richmond pediatrician and arranged for me to work with her.”
Paulus enjoyed the opportunity for hands-on training.
“I was always excited to go into the office because every day I learned something from both the patients and the doctors,” she says. “I spent the semester researching the effectiveness of the flu vaccination by distributing surveys to patients. At the end of the semester I compiled my capstone presentation to include trends in pediatric flu vaccination as well as overall attitudes toward the flu vaccination.”
Paulus’ other SURF project, in which she did field and laboratory work to study the marine bryozoan
Bugula neritin, was also exciting. She presented her research at the Benthic Ecology Meeting at Old Dominion University in March 2012. Lim Fong also attended the conference.
Paulus’ SURF projects intertwine in that they focus on the same organism.
“Both projects gave me a great understanding of
Bugula neritina as an invasive species,” she says. “I was able to explore the microscopic symbiotic relationship that existed in this organism and also gain understanding of its much broader role as an invasive species.”
Awards Paulus, a
Presidential Scholar, serves as president of TriBeta, an honor society for students in the biological sciences. Her hard work at R-MC has been duly noted: She has made the Dean’s List several times, and on May 26 she will graduate with honors.
Future Plans
Paulus was recently accepted into Elon University’s Physician Assistant program.
“I’ve always dreamed of working in the medical field,” she says. “I am excited about the future, and I am so thankful that Randolph-Macon taught me the skills I needed to get into grad school.”
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