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Internships & Outcomes

STEM

Whether a student aims to advance right into the workforce or continue to graduate school, Emmanuel College’s unique blend of liberal arts and sciences aims to produce well-rounded and insightful graduates who are ready for the next phase of their lives: in their career or their education.

Eight recent graduates, across all programs within the School of Science & Health, shared what elements of their Emmanuel journey prepared them to take the next big leap in their education.

Ranging from research opportunities and personalized faculty support to well-rounded course loads and small class sizes, these Ph.D. candidates – currently in programs from Boston to North Carolina – are using their Emmanuel foundation to thrive in their new setting and readying themselves to lead in their specialized fields.

Foundational elements in transitioning to a Ph.D. program

Multidisciplinary Blend of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Emmanuel’s well-rounded approach to teaching the sciences was a huge asset for Keren Santanello ’20. A first-generation undergraduate and graduate student, Santanello started her Ph.D. program at Harvard University in September 2024.

She said Emmanuel’s integration of the liberal arts and sciences was one of the most enriching parts of her education. “This interdisciplinary approach not only strengthened my academic foundation but also broadened my perspective, allowing me to recognize the deep connections between science and the human experience – it fostered a greater understanding of how my work can make a meaningful impact on society,” Santanello said.

Along with the support of the Emmanuel community, which helped spur her on to achieve her goals that she said felt unattainable at times, the well-rounded curriculum ensured she graduated with all that she needed to succeed and thrive in the field.

“I graduated not just with technical expertise, but also the communication and critical thinking skills for a multidisciplinary field like neuroimmunology,” Santanello said.

Consistent Support from Faculty

Emma Stevens ’22 saw the small class sizes as a true advantage, which helped her form lasting connections with professors and receive personalized mentorship. For example, when Stevens expressed interest in machine learning, Associate Professor of Physics Dr. Allen Price started a new project for her, as well as spent his own time to learn about the concepts and provide her with guidance along the way.

Stevens’ interest in computational chemistry bloomed at Emmanuel, where she paired a Data Analytics minor with her Chemistry major. After taking her Intro to Programming course, she said she “had to find a way to combine chemistry and computer science.” Now having been enrolled in Northeastern University’s Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology since September 2022 she is using that blend of topics in her Ph.D. program.

And not once has she felt unprepared – quite the opposite. “If anything, my time in graduate school has left me even more impressed with the quality of education I received at Emmanuel,” Stevens said.

Attending multiple career development events at Emmanuel College is what helped Sydney Iacoi ’20 form her expectations about getting into a clinical psychology Ph.D. program. She’s been enrolled in one at the University of Rhode Island since 2023, and recently returned to Emmanuel to speak on an alumni panel herself.

Iacoi took the advice she received from alumni – to prioritize research and clinical experience to bolster her resume – and pursued a number of internships and research roles both during and after her time at Emmanuel, all of which culminated into a full-time research assistant role, and later, acceptance into her Ph.D. program.

“Something I always boast about my alma mater is: as a function of it being a small liberal arts and sciences college, you are able to forge amazing relationships with the professors. They were some of the biggest influences on my career and helped spark my love for psychology. They were a tremendous resource that I might not have felt comfortable tapping into if I had gone to a bigger institution,” Iacoi added.

Early Access to Research

Joining Professor of Chemistry Dr. Aren Gerdon’s research group was one of the best decisions Rylie Bolarinho ’22 said she made at Emmanuel. The research group is where Bolarinho found her true passion for chemistry – and led her down the path to the Physical Chemistry Ph.D. program at Boston University – which she has been a part of since 2022.

Though she said she didn’t have much experience on the subject matter of her program, she had all the tools she needed to succeed from her research experience at Emmanuel.

Without the opportunity to pursue research at Emmanuel, Sabrina Pires ’24 might not have gotten the inspiration for her path to a Ph.D. Trying it out, even when she wasn’t sure if she’d pursue it as a career, was a stepping tone that led her to love research – and at Emmanuel it was made accessible early on. “Emmanuel’s location is unbeatable and made juggling research and schoolwork possible,” she said.

Pires, who began her Ph.D. program at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in August 2024 was a double major in neuroscience and biology. She said Emmanuel is truly a school where undergraduates can get the most out of their four years: “It was a safe place to ask questions about myself, have challenging conversations about my future early on, and get the tools necessary to explore those interests.”

With a blend of innovative liberal arts and sciences courses, project-based learning, inclusive research and a myriad of research and internship opportunities, these students and more within the School of Science & Health are leaving prepared for the next phase of their lives.