Find Your Happy Beginning
Demi Reed Chose Option 3: Mozambique with the Peace Corps
"Honestly, I did not expect to receive an interview, let alone a position, so when I got both I was surprised and thoroughly unprepared. I had never been to Africa. The last time I spoke a different language was high school, and I was committing to two years of pure service," says Demi Reed '20.
"As a woman graduating with a Forensic Chemistry degree taking a position teaching high school science in Africa, my family and friends were shocked to say the least. It did not seem like the correct or likely route for someone like me—that is until you look at my past experiences."
Living the Dream with Her First Job
"Ever since high school, I was sure I wanted to become a forensic scientist," says Chelsea Lang '16.
"I graduated from OHIO in 2016 (sadly… miss it so much), and not even a month later, I received a job at NSL Analytical Services in Cleveland, Ohio. NSL is a small quality assurance laboratory with multiple areas of work.
"I spend most of my time in the organic lab (which is ironic because organic chemistry was my worst subject in school), and I really enjoy the work I do here. I have continued to learn after graduation and work my way up to my dream job."
From Zanesville to Athens...to Athens?
Austin Stevens ’17 got a great start at OHIO's Zanesville campus, transferred to the Athens campus to double major in biochemistry and biology, and then landed a great job at—Athens.
Stevens jump-started his career as a Quality Control Technician III at Quidel.
“I QC our molecular diagnostic products. We currently have three different molecular diagnostic platforms sold under the brand names Solana, AmpliVue, and Lyra. Solana and AmpliVue are based upon a helicase dependent amplification, which is different from conventional PCR [polymerase chain reaction]. The testing that I do ensures the kits and their components work to our manufacturing specification and quality standards,” Stevens says.
Not the First Bobcat at This Internship
Mary Bouschard '16 walked into the Dayton offices of the Miami Valley Regional Crime Lab knowing she'd be the only toxicology intern. But she was following in the footsteps of another Bobcat, Jenna Silverman '14.
"They only took one intern in the toxicology section, and then they took two interns in their DNA section, which was like a second half of the lab. I was the only one in the toxicology lab. It was a little nerve-wracking," says Bouschard.
Her favorite part the summer 2015 internship was getting to do her own research project, which is a key component of the lab's Forensic Science Internship. "I was working in their tox section and got to really enjoy using the instrumentation."