It’s not often that a student must choose between two prestigious summer research programs. Mackenzie “Mac” Watkins ’26 was accepted out of 400 applicants for a University of Virginia Summer Research Internship Program and out of 900 applicants for the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine Summer Undergraduate Internship Program.
Watkins, who is double majoring in biology and public health and is an early assurance physician assistant studies student, decided on the internship at UVA, which she said has a fantastic health program and is also close to home. “I am so honored to be selected out of so many other amazing students, and I am so excited to be a part of the program,” she said. “Research is something that I have grown to love during my time at SU, so I am looking forward to continuing to learn in a professional laboratory setting.”
Assistant Professor and Chair of Biology Elizabeth Jones, Ph.D., calls Watkins a truly well-rounded student, noting that she’s also in Shenandoah’s honors program as well as a member of its field hockey team. She also participates in research at SU, and recently presented preliminary work on the health of Abrams Creek at the Virginia Council of Honors Colleges conference. “She is a fixture around the biology and public health departments. Honestly, she is a shining example of the best of our students,” Dr. Jones said.
“Can you tell I am super proud of her?”
“I chose Shenandoah because I loved the idea of receiving an amazing education while being able to continue to play field hockey,” Watkins said. “I get to attend a school that has ranked graduate health programs and play on a nationally recognized athletics team. I also love the size of SU. I can form relationships with my peers and professors, and the small class sizes, along with having the same people in my upper-level classes, allow for a very personal learning environment that has been incredibly beneficial to my education.”
Watkins’ success is a reflection of the true enjoyment she takes from her Shenandoah experience. “I love being a biology major because of the hands-on learning we get to do in labs,” she said. “I get to learn how to run gels, culture cells, and look at pathologies under microscopes, while also learning laboratory techniques that will be helpful no matter what graduate program I decide to pursue. Every class offered within the biology department is so interesting and is taught by professors who love what they do, which makes it so much easier to learn. Being a biology major is what got me into research as well, so I am incredibly grateful to the department (especially Dr. Jones) for that. Being a public health major has been amazing because of the real-world health experience I am receiving. I have learned in past classes about global health and epidemiology, and currently I am working with a research group to create a study assessing preconceived health knowledge in undergraduates at SU. Both departments have incredible faculty members who have been integral to my development as a student and as an individual, and I am so grateful that SU has brought me these relationships and opportunities!”
And, with all her responsibilities, it’s a plus that she loves to be busy. “I try to sign up for a lot of things because I like having things to do all the time. Balancing school work requires a lot of time management; much of it is being disciplined to not procrastinate on work, especially when I know I have athletic events or other commitments on the days that assignments are due,” she said. “I am also lucky enough to have a network that supports me in everything I am a part of. Being with my team for practice, hanging out with my roommates, or calling my mom after a long day helps keep me motivated to do whatever comes next.”
