Biology Department Racks Up Impressive Medical Graduate School Acceptances
Posted on: February 2, 2021
Tigerville, SC (May 16, 2019) North Greenville University (NGU) held its annual awards ceremony on Monday, April 22. Every year academic departments and student organizations select students from their respective areas who best exemplify transformational leadership.
This year, the biology department selected a student who best exemplifies well-rounded excellence in academics, research, character, and leadership by example. The award is not based strictly on GPA, although the 4.0 students in sciences certainly stand out.
This year, biology had 35 students who either graduated in December or May, or who were one course away from graduation.
“Almost half of those students have already been accepted into either medical school, dental school, graduate research or the job they were pursuing, and it’s still only April,” said Dr. Jeffrey O. French, associate dean, School of Science and Math and Biology department chair, at the awards ceremony. “The biology department finally settled on one student who will receive the excellence in biology award, but not before considering at least seven with either a 4.0 or early acceptance into a medical or graduate school. You know who you are, and you’ve impressed the faculty as few groups have before.”
Of the seniors wanting to go to med school, biology maintains a 90% success rate.
“Most of those get into their first choice on the first try, and many get early acceptance on the first try,” said French.
Specifically this semester, out of 25 alumni, two students are headed to dental school at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), five accepted into one or more medical schools, one accepted for graduate research at Clemson, one accepted to chiropractic school, and one med school waitlisted for early admission. Many other Class of 2019 graduates have jobs lined up.
“North Greenville has been characterized by strong programs in the sciences for many years,” says Nathan Finn, provost and dean of the university faculty. “We are especially proud that our graduates perennially have high acceptance rates in medical school and other graduate programs. God is the Creator and Sustainer of all there is, and our students who pursue callings in medicine and other health professions reflect God’s character when they dedicate their lives to helping heal others.”
This year’s Excellence in Biology award was presented to Price Matthew Watson from Simpsonville. Watson graduated summa cum laude in NGU’s spring graduating Class of 2019. He will be entering dental school at MUSC beginning in June 2019.
For more information about majors in NGU’s School of Science and Math, visit ngu.edu/academics.
