Jennifer Lawson ’14, a dual biotechnology and economics major in The College of Arts and Sciences, plans to use the knowledge she gained in her coursework to someday apply to medical school. Until then, she’ll head to Boston, where she has accepted a medical research position. Lawson attributes landing the position to the education and networking opportunities she gained from Syracuse University.

“Syracuse University helped me achieve more than I would ever have imagined, when I came here as a freshman,” Lawson says. “The Renée Crown University Honors Program nurtured my academic prowess, the Department of Biology guided my career, SU Abroad ensured my global awareness, and Global Medical Brigades [a student-led sustainable health and development movement] solidified my interest in medicine. I can't begin to explain how Syracuse University has shaped my character and molded me into the person I am today.”

Lawson credits her time in the lab of Ramesh Raina, professor and chair of biology, to making her more professionally competitive. Labwork, she says, gained her knowledge and ignited her passion for biology outside of the traditional classroom, while helping crystalize her post-graduation plans.

When she wasn’t studying, doing research, or working on her Honors Program thesis (“Characterization of Jumonji-Containing Proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana”), Lawson oversaw Global Medical Bridges' fundraising efforts. The program also enabled her to make two trips to Central America, which she complemented with a semester in Florence, Italy.

“My favorite thing about attending Syracuse University was the seemingly unlimited sense of possibility," she says. "As a science major, it can be difficult to study abroad. But by working closely with my academic advisor, I was able to devise a schedule that allowed me to travel overseas and take courses in Italian language and theater.”

Lawson also loves cheering on SU Athletics, something she will continue to do in Boston and beyond. A high school athlete, Lawson says it was Syracuse University's academic reputation, combined with the spirit and camaraderie built through campus life, that led her to the "Home of the Orange."