A Personal, and Candid, Interview with One Cooper Medical School of Rowan University Graduate Just as Richie Suarez was about to kick off his college career at Rowan University, the universe had other plans. Richie shares with us his experiences and thoughts – from being diagnosed, the impact this had on his collegiate journey, through […]
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PRIDE Month: What Inclusivity Means to International Student Yash Kasini
“Inclusivity means being welcoming and accepting of people within all types of diversities. You respect me for who I am and I respect you for who you are. You have the acceptability for various diverse backgrounds. You embrace yourself at the same time you embrace others for who they are.” How do you personally celebrate […]
Beyond the Classroom: Graduate Student Jon Witkowski Puts Data Science Studies to Work in Cooper University Healthcare Internship
Today we speak to Jon Witkowski of Ocean County, N.J. on his internship with Cooper University Healthcare. Jon is a Rowan Global student pursuing a master’s degree in Data Science through Rowan’s accelerated CADP 4+1 program. He recently graduated with degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics. While an undergraduate student, Jon was a member of Rowan’s chapter of the Upsilon Pi Epsilon honor society and worked as a peer tutor.
Can you tell us more about data science?
Data science is an interdisciplinary field between computer science and statistics, leveraging technology and utilizing computer science and high-level math to transform data and draw a useful output for informed, analytical decision making.
What is your day-to-day like at your internship with Cooper University Healthcare?
The first project I was assigned was to make a dashboard for different health systems’ market shares in the general South Jersey region over the past four years. Other departments source the data and hand it to me, and basically, I built a dashboard to whatever their specifications are.
I’ll either be doing something like preparing the data and wrangling it to get it in a state that I want for the databases, or I’ll be trying to figure out how to format my dashboards and what kind of layout to do. Maybe I’ll be thinking about what types of different visualizations I can use. One of the things that we use are interactive, graphical filters. So instead of just having a drop down for selecting things, maybe you format your filter as a bar chart with the labels on it, so you can just click it, and it filters by that.
Getting the data and the results is the easy part. It’s putting it in a way that you can show as much as you can, without it being crowded — that’s really the hard part.
The best part was being able to experiment with new visualizations. I got hands-on experience in the software I had only gone over in class last semester.
One of the more interesting things I’ve done was writing complex table queries that made the data look good, show the visualizations I wanted, and are efficient. An example of that: One of my proudest achievements is we have a map, and it’s colored by zip code. The intensity of the color represents Cooper’s market share in that region. So how many of the inpatient discharges in that region were Cooper’s and a lower volume or market share will be a yellow color, and it’ll get darker red for the higher color. Figuring that out was really fun to try to do.
How did you discover your internship?
It’s very hard to get an internship in the tech field as a college student. You would think it’s easy because it’s such a necessary field. I read online that the unemployment rate in the tech field like computer science and programming is less than 2%, so you’d imagine that many people are getting jobs. I applied for anything I could find, and I happened to get this one.
It actually worked out in the end. The work I do at Cooper is similar to work I did in a class I took last semester, which just happened to turn out to be important to me if I am working in that field, but it really is my favorite class that I ever took at Rowan called Visual Analytics. [The course] involves data visualization and analytics. You’re basically performing analysis on your data and coming out with any results you’re looking for. It’s all about the visualization of set results in an effective way. I really loved it.
Will your internship help you inside and outside of your master’s program?
I think so. The internship also focused on the back end of data visualization for you actually get the data. Before you have the data the way you want it for the visualizations, you have to prepare it and model it. My next project is for social determinants of health. I’m on the data modeling part of that. That is definitely not something I have a ton of experience in, so it’s going to be massively valuable during my career.
What advice would you offer to your peers?
To discover an internship, think about what keywords you should put in a job search. Look at LinkedIn, Indeed, Monster Jobs, Zip Recruiter, or anything. Just apply for as many internships as you can, because the more you apply, the more options you have. It might seem really annoying and stressful to be applying for hundreds of internships, but that just gives you more options to choose what you actually want. It will give you a better chance of finding something you like in the long run.
If you don’t know what you want to do in any degree program, I would look at the different course descriptions for the different courses in that major and the topics of the different concentrations. Also, I didn’t get to use LinkedIn Learning until my fifth semester here, but I would absolutely use LinkedIn Learning. If I could just go back to my freshman year, I would have used LinkedIn learning. I would have looked up all the computer science concentrations and started doing independent learning through that. It’s a resource that Rowan provides with countless hours of coursework. It’s incredibly useful. I think everyone should use it, and it’s definitely something that Rowan doesn’t emphasize enough.
How did you choose your majors in Computer Science and Mathematics?
I guess I got lucky with computer science because it’s what I always knew I wanted to do. I can remember as far back as like seven or eight in elementary school. When I was a kid, I wanted to do stuff with computers. Then, I learned what programming was. I just knew that’s what was in store for me.
Math was always my best subject in school. I initially had it as a minor coming in because the computer science degree is most of the math minor. It’s two extra classes to get the minor. Then, I found out there was another minor in the math department called Applied Math. That was three more classes, so I figured, “Why not tack that on?” Then, I found out that the math department had the Bachelor of Arts, which was maybe three or four more classes to tack on. So I figured, “Why not?”
Can you tell us about any faculty who have particularly impacted your college career?
Three professors who stand out most for me are Dr. H. [Dr. Gabriela Hristescu] and Professor [Jack] Myers from the computer science department and Dr. [Charalampos] Papachristou from the math department. I had three different classes with Dr. H, and I was also a learning assistant in one of her classes last semester. She was also one professor in charge of the Computer Science Honor Society, Upsilon Pi Epsilon, which I was a member of for three semesters, and was also on the e-board for. Dr. H has been a very huge part of my entire college career. She wrote me a recommendation for the master’s program.
I had Professor Myers for two classes, and I’m taking another class of his this upcoming fall. He is one of the best people I know. I took his database class back in the spring of 2020. Without that class, I wouldn’t be in data science. I just absolutely loved it. I’ve had a couple of classes in college that I would consider to be my favorites. Database was my first favorite class. I told him I loved the class, and he recommended data science to me. So I looked into it, and I saw that it aligned with what I wanted to do. He also wrote me a recommendation for the data science master’s program. Without either of these professors, I wouldn’t be in the field.
Dr. Papachristou (or Babis for short) is a statistics professor whom I’ve taken three classes with. It was the first stat class with him that made me decide to concentrate my math degree in statistics, which was instrumental in me choosing to go into data science.
What are your career goals or outcomes after having obtained the 4+1 degree?
My department at Cooper was pleased with my work this summer and has asked me to continue working with them part-time during the semester. I was also planning on being an adjunct professor in the computer science department. I think it’d be a great way to give back to the people who helped me get where I am.
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Edited by:
Rachel Rumsby, senior communication studies and public relations major
Photos by:
Ashley Craven, junior sports communication and media major
Roshni Gandhi: Combining Innovation and Research in Biomedical Engineering
Roshni Gandhi, a Biomedical Engineering major and future doctor, is a student in the accelerated engineer/physician program who shares her profound research and experiences.
I always knew I wanted to be an engineer first and then a doctor. I think biomedical engineering is super special, because it allows me to combine my passion for medicine and engineering. It also allowed me to diversify my skill set so I’ll have experience to help innovate new medical therapies and medical technologies in the future.
What is your ideal vision? What do you ultimately want to be doing in three more years?
I hope to be treating patients as a doctor first, but I’d also like to use my engineering background to be able to innovate and meet some of the unmet needs and challenges patients have as well. There are some gaps in therapies that are available to patients and I want to fill them. I hope to be able to combine my medical and engineering background to treat patients and be an innovator.
Can you share an “aha” moment that you had throughout your time in the program that made you feel like you made the right decision to choose Rowan?
Through my clinic course, I’m working on research with one of the professors here. I remember when I first got involved with his research, he was telling me about a project I could work on that involved developing an injection that’s able to regenerate bone within the body. At that moment, I just remember thinking, “Wow, this is so cool.”
One day, someone who’s suffering from osteoporosis can use this medical therapy so that they have extra bone where they may not have had before. I also remember thinking “I’m working on research that one day will be able to really help patients.”
What advice would you give to someone who is considering this route?
I think biomedical engineering is really cool because it places an equal emphasis on innovation and research. So if you’re interested in designing new things, and hands-on technical work with machines and things like that, it’s a great choice for you. If you’re interested in research, that’s also a path you can take within biomedical engineering.
I think the faculty and staff here at Rowan are super supportive. I think everyone goes into engineering thinking, “this is going to be so hard, I don’t know how I’m gonna make it.” But they’re really there to help you. They work with you step by step as you progress from freshman year to senior year to help develop the skills you need to think like an engineer. By the end of it, you have this new skill set, this new way of thinking to be able to solve any problem.
Explain a research experience that you really enjoyed.
I really enjoy working on this injectable hydrogels project. I get to go into the lab work on developing a biomaterial called the hydragel. It’s a very new type of biomaterial that you can add into the body, which is something the BME department is really big on.
I’ve also had the opportunity through some of the skills and projects I’ve been working on through my BME classes to cofound a startup company. The project helps meet some of the unmet needs of Parkinson’s patients and the amputee population. I’ve been able to come up with some devices to be able to help those individuals, and our first device is actually on the market. I think it’s the coolest thing to be able to do both research and innovation here.
Why did you choose Rowan?
I think Rowan’s program really stood out to me because we have small classroom sizes. From day one, I got to meet the professors. They knew my name. They’re working on different things with me, really getting to know my story and offering resources to help me.
The student community is also great. We’re always helping each other, which is so fundamental as an engineering student to be able to work on things together. This helps us develop a community that helps us reach our goals.
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Story by:
Loredonna Fiore, senior public relations and advertising major
Photos by:
Joe Gentempo, art graduate
Alumni Success: Mitch McDaniels on Finding Your “WHY”
Today we speak with Mitch McDaniels, who graduated from the Honors Concentration with a degree in Biochemistry in 2020. Mitch also minored in German Studies throughout his time at Rowan University. He grew up in Hammonton, NJ (Atlantic County) but now lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Mitch was a Resident Assistant (RA) for three years and lived on campus for all four years. He was also actively involved in the Honors College, B.L.A.S.T. Mentoring, the Keck Behavioral Lab at Cooper Medical School, the Academic Associate Program at Cooper University Hospital, Rho Alpha Sigma, and Alpha Epsilon Delta. He was also a volunteer at the Kitchen of Hope Food Bank (Glassboro), and a Chemistry Learning Assistant for four semesters.
What did being an RA and Assistant Resident Director (ARD) mean to you?
Res Life [meaning RLUH or working for Residential Learning and University Housing as an RA, ARD, graduate role, or professional role] is such a unique field and it’s such a diverse and unique group of people that come together to do so much more than just run a building. I absolutely loved it throughout my time at Rowan — the opportunity to be a part of flourishing communities of residents in their first year of college, and hopefully being that go-to guy for my residents for the good, bad and everything in between.
My experience through Res Life has definitely been one of my favorite memories at Rowan because I met so many new, and now lifelong, friends through it. I love when my residents come back and tell me how much fun they had their freshman year or a favorite memory they had from their year in our pod. A few even went on to go into Res Life themselves; it makes me so happy to hear that!
For me, it was really special to see the ways in which my communities grew together, and the ways they found to make a difference together.
What advice do you have for current students?
I think every first year student should take a little bit of time to find what it is they want to do at Rowan, until they really find their “why,” both on campus and off. I’m still learning exactly what that is for me, honestly. No matter what you do, who you hang out with, or the classes you take, I’ve learned that it’s best to keep an open mind because those moments came when I was least expecting them.
My first year, I was really quite quiet, but I thought that being an RA would be a really unique way to meet people and be part of a community. Lots of people become hyper-focused on the free housing and food, which is pretty sweet, to be honest, but I also wanted to find a place to help in building that welcoming environment I found on campus. I often forget that I had a meal plan and free housing as an RA because I just enjoyed getting to meet everyone and get connected and involved in a way that was different from any other role on campus because their home also becomes yours.
No matter what you do at Rowan, you really have to take the time to find your “why” [your purpose] at Rowan. There’s this proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” I really believe that Rowan’s spirit comes from that small-campus community, where friends, colleagues, and professors all have your back.
My best advice would be to enjoy college for the people and experiences you’re surrounded by — go together, not alone. I’ve found that the best way for me to get things done is when I’m passionate about it and that I want to see it through to the end, together. For me, the Res Life community was that “thing.”
Now stepping into the real world and getting off of the college campus, finding your “why” comes with the territory for everything you do.
Where do you work now?
Now, I work as a Clinical Research Coordinator at Sanford Health, a big hospital system in the Midwest, but mostly in the Dakotas and Minnesota. I’m on a team of four coordinators that are working on a portfolio of COVID studies. We have two different studies that we are mainly working on for the moment. One is for different treatments that focus on outpatient settings, where patients actively have COVID and are sick, but they’re not sick enough to be hospitalized. This study, sponsored by the National Institute of Health, is an Adaptive Platform Study, which means that we are evaluating multiple investigative treatments that can change from time to time, to quickly and safely identify medications that could significantly improve a patient’s COVID-19 diagnosis.
We’re also doing inpatient work with people who are in the ICU on ventilators, high flow oxygen or other life-saving measures to support them throughout their battle with COVID-19. It’s another adaptive platform study evaluating various medications for people suffering more severe COVID, and who have received advanced life-saving therapeutics or interventions to keep them alive or better support them.
I was always asking myself “why” because I wanted to pour all that I could into any activity I was doing. I didn’t want anything to be just a checkbox for my resume. It really needed to be something that I cared about and believed in.
Part of my “why” for medicine is that I want to be a resource for people wherever I go. That’s something I saw in my family with my father being an FBI agent. I want to be able to carry my skills into underserved areas at some point in my career and make a difference within those communities.
What do you hope to do in the medical field?
It really hit when I had the chance to really immerse myself in the Camden community through Cooper, first as a student at MEDacademy at Cooper Medical School, and later as an Academic Associate at Cooper University Hospital. I really began to see that a physician doesn’t work in a bubble, they are someone who’s active and embedded within the community that they are trusted to serve. Ever since, I saw medicine as an opportunity to expand upon the skills, mindset and joy that Res Life has brought me, to help better build a community.
Of course, Rowan has always supported and nourished my curiosity for science and the human body; it’s also helped me to find my voice in leadership. But what my time at Rowan and Cooper has gifted me with has been the opportunity to think, grow excited and imagine how I wanted to give back to the community at the intersection of science, leadership, education, research and policy.
Part of my “why” for medicine is that I want to be a resource for all people wherever I may go. That’s something I saw, and valued, in my family with my father being a Special Agent in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. I hope to be able to carry my skills into communities (especially those underserved) throughout southern New Jersey, our nation, and the world throughout my career and in hopes of making a difference within those communities by empowering the people of those communities through all I learn from them. No matter what field of medicine I pursue, there’s nothing more important to me than to help these communities I hope to serve to thrive and grow.
Tell me about your favorite memory from Res Life?
My favorite moments were those that were unscripted where I would just hang out with my residents on a random Tuesday night in a hallway or lounge of Holly Pointe. We would have the best conversations! I would always leave my door open because I wanted people to be able to walk in and just sit down. I wanted them to know my room was theirs too, and that it was a safe space where they could unwind, have fun, or talk anything over. The most organic moments were the times when I felt true friendship forming between myself and my residents, and it was not any longer just me “supervising” their freshman experience.
One of my favorite memories in these communities as an RA and an ARD was bringing my residents to the food pantry. I really loved the idea of getting into the Glassboro Community and all of us volunteering together and seeing the ripple our pod could make in the greater community. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention the awesome staffs I worked with throughout my three years in Res Life. I couldn’t think of a better group of people to program with, spend time with, or occasionally deal with those 3 a.m. fire alarms. Those unscripted moments, with my residents and RAs alike, made every moment worth it. I owe it to them for helping me to find my why throughout undergrad.
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Story by:
Marian Suganob, public relations and advertising graduate
Photos courtesy of:
Mitch McDaniels, biochemistry graduate
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Biology Alum Thanks Professors for Guiding Him Toward Medical School
Today we speak with Nick San Juan, a former transfer student and biological sciences major who graduated in 2019. Nick commuted to Rowan for his undergraduate studies from his home in Deptford, NJ (Gloucester County), and is working his way toward medical school to continue his education.
You mentioned you were a transfer student and a commuter. Where did you transfer from, and why did you choose Rowan?
I went to Rowan College at Gloucester County originally, then transferred to Rutgers New Brunswick for a year and realized that it didn’t fit me personally. I wanted a school closer to home in South Jersey that was smaller and more personal, and so that’s why I chose Rowan.
My first class at Rowan was with Dr. Gregory Eaton. On the first day of classes, most professors like to get to know students, so we did one of those ice breaker activities. I told the class that I was a transfer and this was my first day at Rowan and that I was a little nervous. He took the time to ask me questions about where I transferred from. He shared that he also transferred to Rowan from RCGC, and said that if I had any questions about campus or the biology department to ask him. I really appreciate the time he took to make me feel comfortable.
How did you meet new people and stay involved on campus as a commuter?
I went to several club meetings and tried my hand in a few different clubs I was interested in. Because Rowan is a smaller campus, you get to see certain faces regularly and recognize them, and eventually build relationships with some of these people.
Do you have any advice for future transfer students or commuters?
I definitely recommend going to events and trying to be more involved. It can be lonely as a commuter and a transfer student because you don’t really know too many people right away and don’t stay on campus, so you have the mindset that you’re just here for class and not to make friends. But I think that’s a negative outlook, and I’d recommend getting out of your comfort zone and building up the courage to make new friends. College is a unique experience for everyone, and the way to get the most out of that experience is to meet new and different kinds of people.
How did you get involved in your major?
I didn’t have a linear path to biology or a conventional desire to pursue it out of high school. I initially studied math and engineering, until I realized that particular branch of science wasn’t for me. I decided to take a look into biology, and once I considered the potential careers [I could pursue], I decided that this was the major for me.
What has your career path looked like since you finished your undergrad?
I am applying to medical school this summer. I will be pursuing medicine, and aim to become a physician at some point. It’s still up in the air for me, which branch of medicine I want to practice, but I know I’ll have plenty of time to explore the different branches of medicine. The two institutions I’m primarily considering are Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine and Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.
[On the day these photos were captured], I [am] actually on campus to ask Dr. Gregory Hecht for a letter of recommendation. He’s very approachable and personable. My experience in his class was very positive. I’d go to his office hours every week and ask him questions. I think we definitely built a relationship to the point that I felt I could approach him to ask for a recommendation, because we got to know each other over the course of the semester I was in his class, and I think he was someone who took note of my work ethic.
What are your goals for the future? How do you feel that Rowan has prepared you?
I really enjoyed my time in the science courses at Rowan. My professors really developed me professionally and taught the material in ways that just made sense. Almost everything I was able to learn really stuck with me, and I think I can use that background and the things I have learned here in the medical education I will be fortunate enough to receive in the future.
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Story by:
Nicole Cier, senior writing arts major
#PROFspective: Molecular and Cellular Biology Major Amaal Khan
Meet Amaal Khan, a sophomore enrolled in the BS/MD program through CMSRU who is majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology. She is from Moorestown, NJ (Burlington County) and lives on Rowan Boulevard. Amaal will share her #PROFspective with us on what it’s like to be enrolled in the BS/MD program and how she’s getting the most out of her college experience as a Rowan Prof.
Name: Amaal Khan
Year: Sophomore
Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology
Hometown: Moorestown, NJ (Burlington County)
On Campus or Commuter? Lives on Rowan Boulevard
Academic clubs? Rowan Pre-Health Society
Social Clubs? Rowan University of Philippine American coalition (RU PAC) and Rowan Rangeela
Why did you decide to major in Molecular and Cellular Biology? Molecular and Cellular Biology seemed like a different major, it wasn’t something I saw in a lot of schools and the curriculum involved other classes that reached other subject areas. It’s a different experience, because I just didn’t want to be with STEM majors, I wanted to be with people who were outside of wanting to be doctors. Currently I’m taking bioinformatics and that’s with a lot of bioinformatics majors, so I get different aspects of programming. A little bit of statistics and a little bit of engineering, so it’s a much more variable major.
Where do you see yourself in eight years? I know I will be a doctor, but I don’t think I want to work in a hospital. I do think I want to do research for a few years and maybe get a Ph.D., then probably work in a private practice, somewhere underprivileged … areas where it’s a little more difficult for people to get inexpensive healthcare.
What would you share with a future student interested in your major? I would tell them that Molecular and Cellular Biology is definitely a little harder than regular biology, because the engineering base classes, or statistics-based classes, are harder than the classes that biology students take. I would say that you get a better variety of subjects, you get to learn so many other things than what a regular bio major does. If you are looking to branch out in college in your education, but not to an extreme degree and if you don’t have enough time to take on a minor then taking a major where you have some flexibility in your classes is really good. If you want to experience something else besides regular science classes, then you should try Molecular and Cellular Biology.
Would you recommend someone to do the BS/MD program? Definitely, only if you are set on being a doctor. This is my career path, so it makes sense in saving a year of college. I know I want to be a doctor, but if you’re in this program you should be sure you’re going to be a doctor; otherwise you just waste your time.
How does your field impact the world? It’s very research based A lot of my professors that teach my classes actually do research, like cancer research, different blood pathogens research, different diseases research. There’s a lot of research that goes into it.
What impact would you like to have on the world in your field? I definitely want to work in an area with underprivileged people or low-income people. Where I can provide healthcare for them at an inexpensive cost, because I know that is super difficult nowadays. I don’t think I’ll ever find the cure for cancer, but I do want to help study diseases, [to] try to find the best diet that is safe for people with diabetes, since that runs in my family. Bettering the quality of life — that’s the impact I want to have.
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Story by:
Iridian Gonzalez, senior journalism major