Name: Abrianna Hite '28
Hometown: Delaware, Ohio
High School: Hayes High School
Majors: Biology and Pre-Medicine
Minor:
Experience: Summer research internship at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio
Hite was selected to participate in the hospital's Student Urinary Tract Program in Education and Research (SUPER) Summer Training Program, supported by the federal National Institutes of Health. She works in the laboratory of Juan de Dios Ruiz-Rosado, Ph.D., which focuses on uncovering exactly how the body fights off urinary tract infections.
During her 10-week internship, Hite is completing laboratory research, attending educational seminars related to her work, and participating in shadowing opportunities. is one of the largest pediatric hospitals in the United States, with more than 1.8 million patient visits annually.
"I want to be able to get as many experiences during my undergraduate years as I possibly can. This opportunity I was really excited about as I want to work in an institution similar to Nationwide Children's one day, and I feel like this gives me a small feel of that."
"Being able to shadow my first surgery – it was just so cool to be able to see how all the people in the OR work together to accomplish something so astounding."
"I was able to hone in on all of my basic lab skills that I had learned in class, but also add so many more techniques and tests to my skills/knowledge base as well. I was able to learn how to communicate with not only doctors but researchers as well, and how you can mix those two paths to become a clinical researcher.
"Experiences like this matter because you get to meet so many diverse people from backgrounds that differ from your own. It opens your mind to different ways of thinking and how to better collaborate in those types of environments."
Dr. Laura Tuhela-Reuning ("Dr. T-R") and Kristen Astorian "very much supported me with this opportunity. Dr. T-R helped me feel more confident in lab and in myself as a scientist/researcher. Kristen helped me draft my application and really took the time and care to make sure it was the best it could be."
(Tuhela-Reuning, Ph.D., is an environmental microbiologist whose roles include serving as facility director of Ohio Wesleyan's scanning transmission electron microscope. Astorian, OWU Class of 2014, works in the office as a career catalyst. She supports students seeking careers in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and pre-health fields.)
"This past year, I was on the track & field team and was also a tour guide for the Admission Office. This upcoming school year, I will still be participating in those activities, as well as being part of the Student Biology Board, a Career Connection student ambassador, and completing some additional internships/jobs related to lab work."
"I got really good financial aid, but other than that, I'm really glad I came here because of all the resources geared toward students getting internships/research opportunities. I also especially like how you don't have to be an upperclassman to use said resources and, even as alumni, they are still available to you."
I just feel very supported at OWU and like I always have someone in my corner rooting for me, which I truly appreciate.
"I plan on taking a couple years as growth years (no 'gap years' around here!), hopefully doing research. My overall plan, however, is to go to medical school to become a pediatrician and hopefully do research with that as well!
"OWU has so many staff and faculty who truly care about helping students reach their goals. I just feel very supported at OWU and like I always have someone in my corner rooting for me, which I truly appreciate."