Elizabeth Brooks

I thought when I graduated college I would have the world figured out. If anything, my college experience has demonstrated what it means to be a lifelong learner. My days in the classroom may be over, but I will never stop being a learner.

When I showed up for my interview at the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, I was wearing a blouse, dress pants, and heels. It was my understanding that I was interviewing for a secretary-like job in the front office. When my boss started talking about isolating the cell wall and maintaining cell subcultures, I went into retreat mode, assuring him that I was the wrong person for the job. At this time, I was an Early Childhood Education major (I changed and graduated with a bachelor's in Communication Studies) and I was only here because my job as a tutor at a local elementary school didn't work out. My boss assured me that I would learn. And I did. After almost four years of working in this lab, I have learned more about science and research than a girl with a degree in humanities should ever be allowed. This experience showed me that I should never disqualify myself from a job just because it's not in my area of expertise. It taught me that a willingness to learn is more important than past experience. Here's to learning new things in the future!