Cayleigh

Certified Tutor

Sample personal statement from graduate school applications:
The ophthalmologist holds my eyes open and slowly drops in tropicamide. He then tells me to wipe my eyes and take a seat in the waiting area. I let my mom guide me through the halls as my vision slowly blurs. When I step into the waiting area, lights shine brightly and I can feel my eyes burn worse than before. I attempt to shield myself from the bright lights, but they seem to be coming from every direction as my eyes grow more sensitive. I grow impatient and continue to ask if my eyes are ready yet. Once my eyes have dilated, the doctor examines the fluid behind my pupils for changes. After the examination is over, the bright lights and tests have stopped: I am exhausted. This is just a routine appointment for me because I was diagnosed with Sticklers' Syndrome at age 5. Since then, I have been continually surrounded by medicine.
My own routine appointments in addition to other family members' medical experiences piqued my interest in medicine and the sciences that are used to develop treatments. In my first organic chemistry class, I learned the importance of chemical reactions and their pharmaceutical applications. This prompted me to enroll in an intermediate organic chemistry course and to pursue chemistry as my degree. I furthered myself by seeking a research internship in a Pharmaceutical Sciences lab.
I began a research internship with Dr. Driesschaert from West Virginia University in March 2021. Learning the basis of EPR probes while enrolled in biochemistry solidified the idea that oxygen plays a key role in the metabolism of living organisms and that abnormal levels of oxygen are linked to diseases. Thus, I understood the importance of developing ways to accurately measure oxygen in vivo and non-invasively. I learned about the synthesis of tetrathiatriarylmethyl radicals such as the Finland Trityl and worked to perform the synthesis myself. During synthesis I did a variety of reactions, purifications, and spectrometry to monitor reaction progress and compound identification. High performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) were used to during synthesis to monitor reaction progress and aid in compound identification. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMR) was also used to identify reaction intermediates and their structures before continuing synthesis. I was trained on both HPLC/MS and NMR which I was able to operate independently. Similarly, I was trained to use the CombiFlash to purify and isolate compounds before preparing samples for NMR which I was also able to independently prepare and run samples for purification. Electron paramagnetic resonance oximetry (EPR) was also something that I was taught during my research internship but performed with the supervision of a graduate student to measure the vasculature of tumors in mice.
Upon continuing my education in chemistry, I hope to continue research in organic or medicinal chemistry. My desired research would consist of synthesizing and working with small molecules that could be used in a biological setting. Though my research experience is limited, I am confident that I can contribute in various ways to West Virginia University. For example, my vast volunteer experience through organizations on campus and with a local dance studio show that I am dedicated to the service of others. Additionally, I have taken diverse classes to complete my liberal arts education which enable me to approach a situation from many different perspectives. My openness and willingness to collaborate with others is very important in research. My research experience has also taught me to be independent in a laboratory setting as I was able to operate many instruments and conduct research on my own. I am confident that I am a good candidate for the Chemistry PhD program because I am assertive, willing to serve others, independent, cooperative and offer different perspectives to critical thinking.