I found LSAMP during the fall semester of my sophomore year and I am glad I did. LSAMP has helped me in so many ways. There are weekly meetings called scholar circles, where the LSAMP scholars get the opportunity to
network, study and help each other throughout the semester. Through scholar circles, I was able to learn how to be successful in my courses, ways to study effectively and how to balance academics and stress to be productive during the academic year. Not only has LSAMP helped me academically, but the monthly meetings also offered presentations that taught me how to write a proper resume, how to prepare for an interview, and applying for internships
- Enoch Arthur, Biochemistry major mentored by Dr. Mark Whitener, graduating in the class of 2021
I recently joined LSAMP in the 2018-2019 school with the intention of doing research on genes and cell mutations under specific conditions. Throughout the school year, as I met with my LSAMP mentor and with professors to see what research they were involved in, I realized that any research is good research since it helps understanding science. Even though I was not able to do research on exactly what I wanted, LSAMP made me see research from a different lens. From the conferences we went to, to the weekly meeting with mentors, to the monthly meeting with all my amazing cohorts, every step was a learning process for me. LSAMP has not only caused me to understand the purpose of research, but it also built a comfortable community for me to interact with students who had similar interests.
- Fanta Fofana, Biology major, graduating in the class of 2022
Being an LSAMP scholar exposed me to many opportunities that I never knew were available. My best experience was having a mentor that provided me with guidance and valuable information, not only for academics, but for everyday life. Attending scholar circles allowed me to learn about scholarships, effective study strategies, and ways to be a successful college student. Being a part of LSAMP helped me secure a summer internship at Rutgers medical school (SHPEP). Overall, being a part of LSAMP was a great experience and I’m looking forward to the next semesters.
- Janet Brenya, Molecular Biology major mentored by Dr. Magnus Bebbington, graduating in the class of 2021
The LSAMP Program at Montclair State University gave me a strong foundation in the realm of research and leadership. Throughout my four years, I was an associate, scholar, and mentor, all of which allowed me to incorporate research into my academic schedule. With funding from LSAMP, I was able to research in Dr. DiLorenzo’s laboratory studying the effects of World Trade Center Dust on human lung fibroblast cells. Additionally, I presented my results on several occasions, such as at MSU’s research symposium, Darwin Day, competing in the Casabona Future Scientist Competition, the annual LSAMP conference, the American Association for Cancer Research conference in Chicago, IL, and received a research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. Since graduating from MSU, from the Health Careers Program in 2018, I have completed my Masters of Biomedical Science degree from Drexel University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies (2019), began researching in an HIV lab working with a CRISPR/Cas9 system, and will be a part of Drexel University College of Medicine’s class of 2023. Overall, LSAMP made a huge impact on my undergraduate career and future endeavors. I am very thankful for all of its resources and opportunities.
- Rebekah Madrid, Biology major mentored by Dr. Ann Marie DiLorenzo, Class of 2018
The informative environment created by LSAMP raised my awareness about the resources and opportunities available within my department and the University. Utilizing the resources and taking advantage of the opportunities helped me decide on a career path. I am currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Mississippi and having participated in an undergraduate research under the mentorship of Dr. David P. Rotella has greatly influenced this pursuit.
- Amna Adam, Class of 2015
Getting involved with LSAMP gave me a sense of community that helped me grow as an undergraduate. I was also provided with an ample amount of leadership opportunities, where I was able to give back through tutoring and being a mentor to a group of LSAMP underclassman. In doing so, I provided both guidance and advice derived from my experiences at Montclair State.
- Daniel Flores, Class of 2014
“Goals are not reached easily – it comes with lots of hard work,” my dad, who now lives 8000 miles away, once said to me. Leaving behind my childhood life that I’ve been building for 18 years to come to NJ and become a dentist wasn’t the easiest decision. However, with the help of proper guidance, I had things go smoothly until I finally made it to dental school. Thanks to LSAMP at Montclair State for giving me the opportunity to appreciate the true meaning of teamwork work, the importance of research and, finally, the beauty of helping others. All the experiences and attributes I’ve learned through LSAMP in two years are much needed in the field of dentistry and medicine I am in today
- Rabih Balilli, Class of 2015
I come from an extremely low-income family. Quite frankly, I decided to pursue a higher education because I needed to get a better-paying job to get out of poverty, and I was told having a degree would help me do that. That was my goal and I want to say that LSAMP helped me obtain that goal. I was a hardworking student and, through effort, can depend on myself to focus on my school work; what I needed help was with gaining experience and networking. My mentors pushed me to conduct research—as a freshman, I found this to be intimidating. However, motivated by my mentors and other LSAMP students, I was able to get involved in research that I was interested in and would continue to do so for years. LSAMP made sure to make us aware of opportunities outside of our school, especially during the summer. I was able to land a paid research or internship position every summer since starting LSAMP. Alone, I would not have known of these opportunities to travel and work with different institutions across the nation. I mention research experience because now, as someone finally in the work force, I realize how important prior experience is when job hunting. I believe I had an easier time getting a job as a college graduate with a resume that contained my years of research/work experience—and work-related skills that I picked up along with it—that LSAMP always pushed me to get, rather than a resume that only contained my educational information. Alone, I would have probably pushed myself to get some form of research or work experience, probably during my senior year. However, because of LSAMP, I was able to begin this process sooner. My ultimate goal as an undergraduate was to get my degrees in order to get a better paying job. The tutoring, the mentors, the leadership, and research opportunities provided by LSAMP aided me in reaching that goal.
- Diana Flores, Class of 2013