Shaunak Mulani '12

Is there a professor that had a significant impact on your education?

Assistant Professor of Biology Matt Jones-Rhoades guided me through my years at Knox. Matt kept you on your toes during class by always asking questions, and he made sure you understood the material in the textbook but also the research in the field of the class. He took me on after my first year to work in his lab. This led to the creation of my Honors project. Matt and I decided on a plan to do Honors during my junior year.

Tell us more about your Honors project.

Honors was a lot of work and was guaranteed to be even more work during the spring term, but it was also rewarding because I got the chance to study what I was learning in class in a hands-on basis. This was also my own project that Matt and I created from scratch, so I was able to learn how to set up a large-scale biology project. Research during undergrad is rare in this capacity and having a personal Ph.D. advisor to guide you step-by-step along the way would surely not be possible at schools other than Knox.

Describe your experience with the pre-med early admission program.

As a second year, I did the Knox-GWU early admission program. The faculty at Knox were very supportive in helping me prepare with mock interviews and advice on what med schools look for. I felt so confident after that interview because it went so well. I had an inclination to go to Washington D.C. and GWU offered an excellent program in preparation to become a doctor. The school is steps away from the White House in the heart of the nation's capital and offers the opportunity to take part in internships with some of the most prestigious organizations serving our nation. I accepted my admission, was free from having to take the MCATs, and was given an assured seat in the School of Medicine for the Class of 2017.