Vision Statement/Statement of Action

For my remaining time at Ohio State, I plan to find more experiences that will prepare me for a career in physical therapy, such as shadowing, internships, and taking classes that will supplement my application to DPT programs. I also plan on obtaining more leadership positions in clubs I am involved in. More than anything, I hope to enjoy the years I have remaining and appreciate the amazing opportunity I have been given in attending The Ohio State University.

Year In Review

Year 2

This year at Ohio State was incredibly important for me. First semester, I made the decision to switch from pre-med to pre-physical therapy. Physical therapy is a field I’ve always been interested in, and deciding to pursue it has been very exciting. I had been unsure of what I wanted my future career to look like, but now that I have chosen physical therapy, I feel like I have a clearer path. In addition, I was given the opportunity to work on a grant in my research lab during second semester to develop a new method for cancer drug screening as opposed to using mice. Being able to work towards a goal in the lab instead of just learning techniques has been such an amazing learning experience because I feel like now I have been able to really contribute something to the lab. I spent time this semester reading literature and planning experiments that would contribute to the overall success of the grant, which was very rewarding. This is a project I hope to continue working on in the fall.

Abstract

In this site, you will find a documentation of important items and experiences that have helped to shape me at Ohio State as part of the Biological Sciences Scholars program.

Research Notebook

Starting in January of my freshman year, I began doing research in Leight Lab on campus. This notebook is where I have planned out all my experiments and made notes on new protocols and techniques I learn in the lab. For me, this notebook, while small, is a huge representation of how I have grown while at Ohio State these past two years. My first semester in the lab was difficult, as I was in a world I have never been exposed to before – the world of research. On top of difficult classes, I was now having to learn advanced lab techniques, as well as review basic biology, as I hadn’t taken a biology class since my freshman year of high school. Moving on to my second and third semesters in this lab, though, I grew from being overwhelmed to excited to go into the lab every day. Seeing the pages in my notebook slowly get filled with more and more information is an encouragement to me to continue working at things even when they are difficult at first, because the end result is so worth it. Working in this lab has been one of the most rewarding experiences and I cannot wait to see what I am able to accomplish next.

Resume

Catherine Van Curen

vancuren.12@osu.edu

(440)554-6885

Suite 0332 Barrett House

88 W. Woodruff Ave. – Columbus, OH 43210

EDUCATION

The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

B.S. Biomedical Engineering, Expected Graduation: May 2021

Overall GPA (4.0 scale): N/A

Magnificat High School, Rocky River, OH

Overall GPA (4.0 scale): 4.38

ENGINEERING EXPERIENCE

NASA Job Shadowing Week – NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH

May 10, 2017 – May 18, 2017

  • Tested antennas in near-field antenna range
  • Modeled antennas using CST Studio Suite and ran simulations
  • Given tasks by advisor with little instructions, had to learn quickly

WORK EXPERIENCE

Volunteer Student Cook – Village Project, Bay Village, OH

August 2015 – Present

  • Cook meals for cancer patients and their families
  • Communicate with clients and current & potential donors
  • Collaborate with an executive board to fundraise and plan events

SKILLS

  • Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
  • 3 years chemistry laboratory experience (titrations, spectrophotometry, distillations, etc.)
  • Basic MATLAB knowledge

HONORS AND ACTIVITIES

The Ohio State University

  • Biological Sciences Scholars
  • BMES (Biomedical Engineering Society)
  • Pre-Med Club
  • Scarlet and Grace Notes A Cappella Group
    • Rehearse multiple times a week for events and competitions

Magnificat High School

  • President of Chorale (Senior year)
  • National Merit Commended Scholar
  • President’s Award
  • National Honor Society
  • Theater
  • Volleyball

Sister Bernadette Vetter Award

Each year at my high school, one graduating senior is presented with the Sister Bernadette Vetter Award. This award recognizes the student that best lived out the mission of the school during her four years. I was fortunate enough this past year to be the student selected from among my peers by the faculty and staff to receive this award. At my high school, I was incredibly involved in many different areas – athletics, performing arts, campus ministry, volunteering, and helping with various events for the school. However, I never expected to be recognized in such a big way for my involvement. It was nice to know that the work I had done didn’t go unnoticed, so this award is very important to me and encourages me to continue living out a life that is focused on learning, service, and leadership.

Corn Maze – Scholars Event

I attended the corn maze in Little Darby Creek with the Biological Sciences Scholars group a few weeks ago. While this may not be an “academic” activity, I really enjoyed it because it allowed me to meet more people from the Scholars program that I hadn’t previously met. It was a really nice way to get to know people better while also de-stressing by doing some fun fall-themed activities!

Year in Review

Semester 1 Review

Over the course of this semester, I feel as though I have gained a lot of valuable skills that will support me throughout my academic career. College has been a big adjustment, and one of the biggest adjustments for me was simply learning how to study better. I tried a lot of different methods and feel as though I have finally been able to determine which strategies work best for me. In addition to better studying habits, I have also learned how to manage my time better in order to study, get all my work done, and still have time to relax. In addition to skills I have developed on my own, Scholars has helped me to grow this semester as well. Through this program, I have been able to become friends with people who have similar interests as me, as well as connect with professionals in the fields I want to pursue. Scholars has given me plenty of opportunities that would have been difficult for me to find on my own had I not been a part of this program. Overall, this semester has made me look forward even more to what the next few years will bring for me as a member of the Biological Sciences Scholars program at Ohio State!

G.O.A.L.S.

Global Awareness: During my senior year of high school, I hosted a foreign exchange student for three weeks, and then spent two weeks with her in her home of Granada, Spain. The time spent with her both in the United States and in Spain allowed me to learn in a deeper way about the experiences of people in other parts of the world and inspired a passion in me for learning about new cultures and ideas through travel, which is something I hope to continue at Ohio State through study abroad programs.

Original Inquiry: The Ohio State University offers so many research opportunities, that it is difficult to pick just one! However, one of my main goals while at Ohio State is to get involved in research, especially research that deals with biomedical engineering or medicine. I am starting to look more into the research opportunities that exist in these areas and will begin working to get a position in one of these labs.

Academic Enrichment: As a biomedical engineering student who is also pre-med, I will definitely be faced with many challenging classes during my four years here. While difficult, these classes will allow me to expand my knowledge in the areas I am interested in.

Leadership Development: I have already gotten involved in a few clubs and organizations here at Ohio State, and these offer many leadership positions that I can gain in the future. In addition, I can be a leader in any research or volunteering positions that I might have. There are so many options for leadership that it will be difficult not to be a leader in some capacity.

Service Engagement: In high school, I was very actively involved in service, so it is something that I hope to continue at Ohio State. It is important to me to give back to my community in any way that I can, and Ohio State provides many resources to help students do this.