Alums Cite Seminars, Research and Faculty Mentors as Keys to Success
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03/01/2021
By Katharine Webster
Dan Muise 鈥�16 didn鈥檛 know what he wanted to study when he arrived at 51视频.
He was still narrowing it down when he graduated from the university and the Honors College with two bachelor鈥檚 degrees: one in political science and a second in economics.
But his experiences as an honors student 鈥� research with faculty who became mentors, a referral to a summer job in Myanmar from Political Science Chair Ardeth Thawnghmung, interdisciplinary honors seminars, and an honors research project and thesis in behavioral economics with Economics Assoc. Prof. David Kingsley 鈥� helped him get into the communication Ph.D. program at Stanford University.
Now, he鈥檚 working on research with faculty at Stanford and elsewhere, including the Screenomics project, which analyzes the habits of smartphone users around the world to find out what influences their media consumption. His focus is political news.
Muise and other recent Honors College alumni say their honors experiences, from research with faculty to small seminars, have had a lasting impact, preparing them for advanced graduate studies and rewarding jobs.
鈥淗ow to keep a really creative and open mind about what to do and who to do it with 鈥� a lot of that results from interdisciplinary learning,鈥� Muise says.
Muise praises the Honors College ethos of combining academic rigor with hands-on experiences. He especially remembers an honors seminar called Stories Worth Sharing, based on the TED Talks series, taught by honors adjunct faculty member Gregory DeLaurier. Out of that seminar, Muise and several of his classmates decided to organize what turned out to be a successful .
Sandra Adome 鈥�18 鈥� Medical Laboratory Science
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鈥淚t was a way for me to prove to myself that I鈥檓 capable of taking on different things and succeeding,鈥� she says.
Now, she鈥檚 a medical laboratory scientist at Boston Children鈥檚 Hospital, where she was in the first group to get trained to perform COVID-19 tests.
Adome says her honors capstone project, which expanded on her experience in the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences鈥� Interprofessional Education program, forced her to overcome shyness because she had to work with other students and professionals that she didn鈥檛 know.
After interning at Summit ElderCare in Lowell, Adome and another honors student created a presentation based on their experiences with the program 鈥� and delivered it at two conferences.
Adome gained confidence in her communication skills, which has not only helped in her current job, but fueled her ambition. She鈥檚 now enrolled in a part-time, post-graduate program that will prepare her to apply to medical school and work in direct care as a doctor.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e never going to see your full potential unless you push yourself out of your comfort zone,鈥� she says.
Caitlin Pinkham 鈥�13 鈥� History
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鈥淗onors built up my confidence. It also helped me recognize what path I should go down,鈥� she says.
Two honors experiences stand out, she says: an honors seminar for the DifferenceMaker program, which teaches entrepreneurial thinking and skills; and her honors research and thesis on the Great Depression in Lowell, and whether government programs helped the city鈥檚 residents.
She says her thesis was inspired by an honors seminar with History Prof. Robert Forrant, who served as her thesis advisor.
鈥淗e was such a great mentor, and his classes were super dynamic and enjoyable,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 got a lot out of that honors thesis, and that pushed me to pursue my master鈥檚.鈥�
After graduation, Pinkham interned at a national park in Virginia through the Student Conservation Association. Then, she earned her master鈥檚 in history at UMass Boston, writing her thesis on the experience of Black workers in the Civilian Conservation Corps in Massachusetts during the Great Depression.
Both of her theses examined how government policies impact people, and that鈥檚 what she does now.
鈥淩esearch, analyzing data, writing and communication 鈥� I use all the buckets of my history major in my job,鈥� she says.
Willie Boag 鈥�16 鈥� Computer Science
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He loved them so much that he took seven of them, including the seminar that spawned the TEDx Lowell talk on prosthetics, which he worked on with Muise.
But his favorite honors seminar was Experiencing Philanthropy, taught by philanthropist Nancy Lippe, in which students spent the semester researching nonprofits, soliciting grant proposals and deciding how to award $10,000.
After a site visit to one of the finalists, Boag made an impassioned argument for its potential to change the lives of children by combining environmental education with community action 鈥� and persuaded his classmates to award the program some money.
鈥淚 used to think that official processes had committees with smart people who made logical decisions,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 learned that instead it鈥檚 just ordinary people doing their best and trying to convince each other 鈥� and one passionate person can make a difference.鈥�
Now, he鈥檚 that passionate person, working on multiple research projects that aim to use machine learning to address racial disparities in end-of-life care, the doctor-patient relationship and computerized diagnostics. He鈥檚 also active in a peer mentoring program aimed at helping more diverse candidates apply successfully to Ph.D. programs.
Boag鈥檚 horizons remain broad, even as his expertise becomes more specialized. As he looks forward to finishing his Ph.D. in 2022, he鈥檚 figuring out whether he wants to work in research, policy or health care.
鈥淭he problem isn鈥檛 too few options,鈥� he laughs. 鈥淚t鈥檚 too many options.鈥�
