This past summer, senior Biology Major, Sophy Vuong (right) was granted the opportunity to participate in a 12-week, Research and Development internship program at Eli Lilly and Company in San Diego, California.
Working in Eli Lilly’s immunology department, participating actively in primary cell culture research, Sophy noted that her experiences at TCNJ prepared her for this internship role, even when met with the challenge of learning a variety of new, specialized lab techniques and practices in a fast-paced industry environment.
Throughout the 12-week program, Sophy embraced these challenges and honed her laboratory skills, while also broadening her horizons within this new professional realm. Her experiences in Dr. Kathryn Elliott’s lab and her active involvement as a co-founding member of TCNJ’s SACNAS chapter prepared her to excel in this dynamic environment, offering her the confidence and ability to connect with mentors and peers in impactful ways.
Sophy reflected on the value of her internship, sharing, “Over the 12 weeks of the program, I was able to work with my mentor to refine my skills in the lab in addition to expanding my knowledge of this new professional environment. I was encouraged to network with fellow interns and industry professionals to build connections that I will be able to hopefully use in the future.”
Sophy actively conducts research in Dr. Kathryn Elliott’s bacterial genetics lab, where she is presently investigating 16S rRNA processing in Acinetobacter baylyi. In addition to her academic pursuits, her involvement also extends to co-founding TCNJ’s SACNAS chapter, a nationally recognized STEM-based mentorship program designed to support a diverse range of students within STEM fields.
Explaining the mission of TCNJ’s SACNAS chapter, Sophy elaborated,“I was a founding member of our TCNJ SACNAS chapter almost two years ago now, and it is really a catch-all for everybody interested in STEM regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, and even major.
“We like to think of ourselves as a sort of ‘bridge’ between the different science specialties where everyone can feel comfortable engaging in conversations with one another in both a fun and professional atmosphere”, she explained.
Sophy credits her impactful internship experience at Eli Lilly to the wide variety of opportunities made possible through both her academic and extracurricular involvement within TCNJ.
Sophy discussed a new objective that TCNJ’s SACNAS chapter has recently undertaken, which is entitled the “Industry Insight Series.” The series is meant to connect industry professionals from diverse backgrounds with students to discuss their personal academic goals/ interests in addition to potential professional career journeys.
Discussing Sophy’s impact within TCNJ’s SACNAS chapter, Dr. Jennifer Aleman, one of the chapter’s advisors and the Grant Writer for TCNJ School of Science, praised her leadership skills and academic determination. Dr. Aleman noted, “Sophy is an outstanding student leader who truly embodies the core values of SACNAS.”
“I am so glad that Sophy was able to secure her Eli Lilly internship as a result of her attendance at the SACNAS conference last year. She has gone out of her way to make sure that our SACNAS chapter is a welcoming community. She has innovative ideas for our programming and is always thinking about what topics would be of interest to students in the School of Science,” Dr. Aleman explained.
Written by School of Science Student Journalist, Jax DiEugenio