BS/MS Student Stories

I applied for the MMG Department's BS/MS program because it presented a unique opportunity that was well-suited for my career path and that would greatly enhance my education at Michigan State. 

I have been actively involved in microbiology research for the majority of my undergraduate experience, and I aspire to continue my research career in the future by pursuing a PhD. Involvement in the BS/MS program has taken my undergraduate research to the next level, providing an opportunity to develop skills necessary for success in a research career- not only benchwork and computational biology, but also communicating my work with fellow scientists and the public. This program has allowed me to grow professionally in a familiar research environment, equipping me with both a Master's degree and a skill set that will be useful in my future scientific endeavors.

Maria Berry
Microbiology
Schrenk Lab

 

I was one of the first students to enroll in the combined BS/MS microbiology program at MSU (class of 2000 and 2003). The program provided a strong foundation from which I found my passion for microbial bioinformatics and built a life-long career that I love.

Laura Harris, Ph.D.
Director of Training - ICER
Michigan State University
https://icer.msu.edu/about/directory/harris

As a first year undergraduate, I began working with Dr. Ashley Shade in her Microbial Ecology laboratory, and I absolutely fell in love with Microbiology and lab work. During my sophomore year, I began minor coursework in Global Public Health and Epidemiology. This is a growing field that uses cross disciplinary approaches to address and solve health problems, like the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Looking at patterns of disease employs the same bioinformatic skills that microbiologists utilize to analyze data, and this overlap is what drew me to the BS/MS program. Thinking about my future, I decided that a Master's Degree was the best fit for my goal of working in Public Health and public education. After watching the world react to COVID-19, I have been incredibly interested in public health, science, and microbiology education for the public. 

Joanna Colovas
BS Lyman Briggs Microbiology FS’21
MS Microbiology SS’22