Kirtan Kaur ’12

Class of 2012, Major in Biology with Minor in Environmental Studies

“Today as I sit in my graduate level classes and begin my thesis research, I look back and realize how fortunate I am to have picked MMC for my Biology degree.  I owe it to the extraordinary faculty at MMC who have given me a strong foundation in science through patient, challenging, one-on-one teaching that I would not have found anywhere else!  MMC is a great college to attend if you want to experience rigor, opportunities, and a small, close-knit science community.”

About

I attended MMC from 2008-2012 and majored in Biology.  I cannot begin to explain how much I learned from MMC’s Natural Sciences & Mathematics faculty and the Biology program!  Today I’m attending NYU’s School of Medicine for a Master’s degree in Environmental Health and Toxicology.  I owe my success to MMC for providing me with a solid foundation in science.

First off, MMC is a small college in general, but the science department is even smaller, which is a good thing! The 6th floor became a second home for me where I knew everyone and learned more than I thought I could. The small classes meant that I learned and retained more material, could ask questions during class, not feel lost or overlooked as I may have been in a larger university.  Since the lab classes at MMC are small I learned lab techniques, the principles behind the experiments and how they connected back to lecture material. 

Secondly, the professors in the MMC science department are phenomenal!  Looking back, I know I experienced top-notch, rigorous, hands-on teaching from faculty who educate in a lucid, patient and methodical fashion.  I have retained so much knowledge and understanding of science since I graduated thanks to the small classes and one-on-one teaching at MMC.  Though my classes were hard they were also very enjoyable, at the end I felt like my way of thinking had changed because my professors molded my approach to science through the way they taught, namely in courses like Microbiology, Physiology and Organic Chemistry.

Lastly, since MMC is a small school I also had access to research opportunities.  This is not common for larger colleges or universities where undergraduates may not have time to collaborate with and learn directly from faculty.  I had that fortunate chance and it enriched my understanding of science and gave me a competitive advantage.  My research experience at MMC taught me how to find relevant academic papers, manage all my responsibilities and develop relationships with professors, which are skills that are helping me now in graduate school.