Majors: Cell Molecular Biology and French
Hometown: Coventry, Rhode Island
As she looks forward to graduation, Allie is in the process of applying to medical school. She will continue her work as an EMT and an EKG technician at South County Hospital, and she has applied to the TAPIF program in France. If selected, she will live in France for seven months and teach English to young French students before beginning medical school.
Q. In your opinion, what makes the College of Arts and Sciences at URI unique?
A. The College of Arts and Sciences is unique because it is able to combine so many different areas of study, and make education very flexible and accessible to its students. It was incredibly easy for me to fit a French major into a schedule already full with courses from CELS; so easy that I really didn’t have to change my schedule around or even take an extra semester to fit it all in! This made the decision to study French and be a French major incredibly easy, as the college was able to easily accommodate to the other courses and interests that I had.
What accomplishments and/or activities at URI are you most proud of now?
Although not completed yet, I am working on my honors project this semester where I will be focusing on interviewing French immigrants in Rhode Island about their experiences with transitioning to the U.S. healthcare system. I am proud of this project idea, and am excited to complete it as it combines both of my majors and passions. Pursuing a career in medicine, it is important for me to be aware of biases in our healthcare system and the ways in which it operates, but more so how certain populations are more drastically affected by its structure. This project allows me to be creative, as I will be writing a fictional short story to demonstrate the problems with our healthcare system, and I look forward to using more of my creative writing abilities in this way.
What research projects, internships, experiential learning, and/or study abroad programs did you participate in at URI? How did they enhance your education?
I am a part of URI EMS and am incredibly proud of this organization, as well as the work I have put into it. Obtaining my EMT license during the pandemic has been a very rewarding experience, and has motivated me to pursue a future career in medicine as I begin the application process to medical schools now. I have also been a tour guide for the university for 4 years, and have really enhanced my communication skills and public speaking abilities through my work here — alongside being able to show prospective students how much I have enjoyed my time at URI! Additionally, I am currently a senior member in Dr. Lenore Martin’s biochemistry research lab, where we study how peptides can be developed to combat antimicrobial resistance. All of the experiences I have had at URI have allowed me to obtain a diverse sense of what my majors can offer me, and ultimately have helped lead me to the decision of applying to medical schools this coming year.
What do you value about your liberal arts education?
Being a double major in French and Cell Molecular Biology, and having the juxtaposition of a liberal art major in conjunction with many STEM based courses, has really diversified my education. My French courses are structured quite differently from classes such as chemistry and biology, so having classes where I have the opportunity to write and be more creative is certainly something I look forward to in my science-based schedule. I feel as though I am better equipped in terms of my communication skills and ability to look at problem solving from a more cultural standpoint through my French studies. Overall, I have really just enjoyed the opportunity to learn about a culture different from my own, and have the option for my career in medicine to take me places where I could use the French language.
What have been some highlights of your time in the French department? How did you come to be a French major?
Something that I always tell my tours at URI is how incredible the French department is. Every single professor I have had has been fantastic, and I can tell they all truly care about their students and want them to succeed. Learning French has never felt stressful; rather, I have always come to class excited and ready to enhance my language abilities. I have been able to take writing, speaking, and cultural courses through the department, and have learned so much about French history and culture that has helped me to even understand more about U.S. history and culture. I’m so glad to have had these courses, especially because I never anticipated being a French major when I began URI! I had taken French for 4 years during high school, but was unsure whether I wanted to continue learning it. I took one French course the spring of my first year and fell in love with the French department, and decided to continue all the way through to have a French major. I’m very glad I made this decision, and love to be able to say that I major in both CMB and French. Ultimately, I am incredibly thankful for the French department at URI, and all of the French professors I have had. Without my experiences in the College of Arts and Sciences, and the support from all of my professors in it, I don’t think I would be quite as prepared to apply to medical school within the next few months.