The Comfort Zone

I have two majors: biology and criminal justice; both of these majors are linked to CASL. My majors may seem dissimilar, but in my world they are connected. I am going into a career of forensic science (fingers crossed that I get a job soon!). Going into forensic science was the easy decision. However, when your college does not have your major you have to get a little creative, hence the double major.

The good thing about CASL is that it allows students to be exposed to a variety of courses. I would know since I received two very different aspects of the CASL community throughout my college career. CASL has several great opportunities for its students.

As a criminal justice major, all students are required to have an internship. The CASL staff  is willing to help connect students with potential internships. However, since being one of the few going into forensic science, the options were minimal. I took their suggestions, but I had to get creative yet again. There are times in your college career when you have to take matters into your own hands, and make your dreams happen. For me this was one of those times. Through my persistence, I worked as an intern at the Michigan State Police Crime Lab.

At the MSP Crime Lab, a majority of my time was spent organizing a cold case in the trace unit. I would read through the case files and organize lists of the evidence. The scientists would use my lists in order to assist in their examinations. I would also observe the scientists work on their cases. The cases would range from comparing fibers or footwear, making fracture matches, collecting DNA, and processing vehicles. In some of the cases, I would help match (or exclude) known evidence to objects collected at the crime scene. For instance, I worked with shoe and tire impressions and compared them to questioned impressions found at a crime scene. For me, my internship was something new and exciting every day.

For my biology major, I was able to work in a research lab extracting DNA from lizard blood samples. The main purpose of the study was to determine if any of the lizard samples contained malaria. Through my research, I learned and practiced different techniques that are required in laboratory research: extracting DNA, conducting PCR reactions, and running DNA on agarose gels. I can utilize the skills I obtained in my future employment. I encourage every science student to try to participate in research to get exposure.

When students are going to college, everyone usually says that it is a time to find yourself. Now that I look back, I believe this statement. Before I came to college, I had very little experience of any kind of science (apparently my high school-self did not think that it was important to take chemistry or upper level biology). Therefore, I did not really know what science had to offer, but once exposed, I ended up falling in love (and out, at frustrating moments). I feel like you don’t know if you like something until you are fully immersed in the subject. Like I said before, CASL has the funny way of exposing you to a lot of different classes. Yes, some of them may feel like they are a little out of your comfort zone, but you may find out that you love the subject.

My advice to students is to make the best out of the situation you are given. Once you find that subject you are passionate about, do not let anyone stop you from making your dreams come true.

Shelby Szymoniak is a Biology Honors Scholar and a double major in Criminal Justice and Biology.