Eight weeks and the generosity of mentors can definitely change a life. Just ask Micah Forshee, a senior biology major and student in Olivet’s Honors Program.
Dr. Mike Pyle, chair of Olivet’s Department of Biological Sciences, helped Micah make plans for a summer internship experience in 2017 by connecting Micah with Olivet biology alumna Dr. Teresa K. Woodruff ’85. She is the dean of The Graduate School and associate provost for graduate education at Northwestern University (NU).
Thanks to Dr. Woodruff’s generosity, Micah was accepted for an intensive, eight-week research experience at Robert Lurie Research Medical Center in Chicago. He worked on the modeling of testicular tissue in mice for later fertility and pharmaceutical testing, conducting his own assigned project.
Micah was seeking intensive research in one of the best labs. That’s what he found with Dr. Woodruff at Lurie. “Dr. Woodruff is phenomenal and a renowned scientist,” he says. “Learning from her was an amazing and valuable experience. She empowered me to go forward. God used this experience to change the trajectory of my life.”
During his time at Lurie, Micah often saw Dr. Woodruff in the lab. She met with him, one-on-one, four times to talk about his project and the plan for his future. He worked with Max Edmonds, one of her graduate students, every day in the lab.
Micah credits Olivet’s biology professors for preparing him well for success. “Olivet has equipped me to excel in a top research environment like this one,” he says. “I was able to learn quickly because I already had the foundational concepts, skills and techniques.”
At the end of the eight weeks, Micah gave a presentation on his research to a group of post-doctoral researchers and senior lab members. “They engaged with me and were interested in my findings, observations and opinions,” he says. “Their genuine interest humbled me. This was a true blessing from God.”
At the beginning of the summer, Micah was uncertain about what direction to take after he graduates from Olivet in 2018. “At Lurie, I found out that I really like to do research,” he says. “Now I know that research will be a part of my life.”
To learn more about Olivet’s Department of Biological Sciences, contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@olivet.edu or 800-648-1463.
