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Integrative Biology

Cierra Freese, Class of ’25: Non-traditional Ecampus student finds her calling in wildlife conservation

When she returned to college, senior zoology student Cierra Freese never expected she would feed a nocturnal kiwi chick in New Zealand or a barred owl in northern Michigan.

Ella Bailey wearing gloves and a mask, working with a teeth model, in a dental simulation lab at the OHSU Summit Program.
Microbiology

Ella Bailey, Class of ’25: BioHealth sciences major trains to be a dentist

After growing up in Fairbanks, Alaska, Ella Bailey answered a calling that made others smile: training to be a dentist. But after her mother received a breast cancer diagnosis, Bailey wanted to drop out.

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Physics

Kyle Gourlie, Class of ’25: Small-town student to space-time researcher

There’s the store, the gas station and fields that stretch to the hills. Describing his home in Scio, Oregon, physics senior Kyle Gourlie emphasizes its small-town lifestyle. Getting access to science in his rural community, however, proved to be a challenge.

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Chemistry

Mitchell Kenny, Class of ‘25: Pursuing chemistry around the world

With a meaningful summer abroad and years of undergraduate research under his belt, chemistry senior Mitchell Kenny is heading into his Ph.D. with a strong foundation from Oregon State.

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Mathematics

Roan Luikart, Class of ’25: Mathematics major finds the equation for success

At Oregon State, Roan Luikart was able to bring his passion for math to life. He studied abroad in England, conducted two undergraduate research projects, served as a resident assistant and helped grow the Math Club.

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Biochemistry & Biophysics

Emily Kaneshiro, Class of ’25: From studying abroad to tackling smoke in wine

Wine science changed Emily Kaneshiro’s life. From riding bikes in the Netherlands to landing a summer internship at a small, family-owned winery in France’s Loire Valley, she fell in love with fermentation science

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Biochemistry & Biophysics

Auria Lee, Class of ’25: Adventure, research and leadership shape future doctor

Auria Lee plans to go to medical school, but her training as a physician truly began as an undergraduate Honors biochemistry major at Oregon State.

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Integrative Biology

Vivian Light, Class of ’25: Senior balances biology and volleyball at Oregon State

If you ask student-athlete and biology senior Vivian Light to share a fun science fact, she will likely tell you something fascinating about fish

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Physics

Edtech-inspired physics and mathematics senior lands a spot at top-tier university

A long time ago in a galaxy not so far away — in Lake Oswego, Oregon — Joey Takach ordered a bunch of soundboards, accelerometers and other metal parts online.

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Data, AI and Robotics

How this data analytics grad excels in everything remote

Mary Tunstall is a data analytics student set to graduate with her master’s degree. On the way, she discovered that remote learning never kept her from success. In a way, it brought her closer.

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Students

A budding chemist and reigning gold medalist: Oregon state rower finishes strong

Oregon State chemistry senior Evan Park has a gold medal.

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Students

Turning a talent for numbers into a career in finance

Ryan Holzschuh liked math as a teenager. He was even one of the top mathematics students at Cleveland High School in inner southeast Portland and took a year's worth of college-level math classes during his senior year in 2022. However, it took going to Oregon State University for Holzschuh to truly fall in love with numbers.