Welcome to this week's guest blogger, Alice Zhang from Cincinnati! Alice is a rising junior and recently completed the 2-week program at Johns Hopkins University, "Discover Hopkins," with her Joyce Ivy Summer Scholarship. Read on to hear about her exciting in-class lab work, being on her own for the first time, and the many things she learned and experienced outside the classroom.
Hi! My name is Alice Zhang and I’m a junior at Indian Hill High School located in the suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio. I’m on my school’s varsity golf team and I am also captain of my school’s Science Olympiad team. I play in band and I’m a member of Model United Nations and Academic Team. This summer I attended Discover Hopkins, a two week pre-college program at Johns Hopkins University, with the scholarship I received from the Joyce Ivy Foundation.
I arrived in Baltimore, Maryland on a balmy Sunday afternoon. After saying goodbye to my parents at the airport, I was in disbelief that I was only hours away from arriving at Johns Hopkins University, one of the most prestigious universities in the U.S. Sometime between boarding the plane and it taking off did I finally realize that for the first time in my life, I was on my own, away from my parents and my home. It was a scary thought, but one that would quickly wash away as soon I arrived at JHU. Immediately upon setting foot on the Johns Hopkins campus, I was enamored with the intricate architecture of the buildings, the lush green lawns, and the brick walkways that connected all parts of the campus.
Campus
Meeting my roommate was exciting since I had never lived with a roommate before. She was from California and throughout the two weeks that we lived together, we got along very well. I also had two suitemates, one from Illinois and another from Colorado. Throughout my stay at JHU, I met such a diverse group of people from places like Pennsylvania, Texas, Nebraska, Canada, and even Lebanon! I thoroughly enjoyed talking to everyone I met because everyone came from a different place with their own story and background. I was surprised by how quickly we were able to make friends, and even in the least likely of places. I made so many friends just from going to the music room to practice my instrument!
The class that I took was “Introduction to Lab Research.” The first few days of this class were spent learning and identifying the four main types of tissues in our bodies. Then, we were given an unknown sample of mouse tissue, and instructed to section and stain it for identification. I had never heard of tissue sectioning and staining, much less performed it, so this experience was entirely new. Once our tissue was sectioned and stained, identifying it was a whole other challenge because there were so many possibilities of the tissue’s origin. Later that week, we took a field trip to Gunpowder State Park where we hiked through five miles of serene forest, collecting plant samples along the way. From our plant samples, we extracted their DNA which we later used to run PCR and gel electrophoresis. We then sent our extracted DNA samples for sequence analysis and used the results to construct an evolutionary tree. Overall, the class was very intriguing. We were exposed to many lab techniques and biotechnologies. Entering the class, I had a slight interest in lab research, and exiting, my interest in lab research was tremendously strengthened.
Unlike in high school where most of the learning is done in class, I was surprised by how much I learned outside of my class. A friend who was taking a bioethics class enlightened me about all the ethical issues doctors face everyday. With another friend who was a research intern, we held very substantive conversations on the research he was conducting, immunotherapy. And from my roommate who was taking an abnormal psychology class, I learned the process in which a criminal can be declared mentally insane.
Outside of class, I had, with my friends, amazing experiences exploring JHU, Baltimore, and the surrounding area. Baltimore’s nickname is “Charm city” and the Inner Harbor, a tourist attraction located near downtown Baltimore, certainly lives up to this name. Venturing into the Inner Harbor on a Friday evening with my friends like typical tourists, we were enchanted by the spectacular view of the sunset from the boardwalk. During the one weekend we spent there, we visited Annapolis, the capital of Maryland, one day, and then Washington D.C. the next.
My taste of college life was very different than my high school life. When my class got out at 4:30 every afternoon, I was free to do whatever I wanted. Unlike in high school where I frantically run to catch the school bus immediately after school, at JHU, I could leisurely walk around campus and take in all the sights and sounds. Everything was within walking distance which gave me a sense of newfound independence. I loved taking trips to the library to study or finish homework. (And might I add, the Eisenhower library is by far the largest library I have ever set foot in. With its six floors full of books everywhere, I easily spent hours just perusing through one section of books.)
My two weeks at JHU flew by faster than the speed of light, and before I knew it, I was packing my things to leave. Overall, my experience was incredible. I learned more than I thought was possible in a two-week period and I made magnificent memories with my new friends and all the people I met. Thank you so much, Joyce Ivy Foundation, for giving me this wonderful opportunity to grow, explore, and learn at Johns Hopkins. I had an unforgettable experience at JHU. Coming out of this pre-college program, I feel much more confident and prepared towards these next two years of high school and whatever the future may hold.
Learn more about Joyce Ivy partner program Discover Hopkins!
More information about the Joyce Ivy Summer Scholars program can be found here.
Alice with her JHU roommate
I arrived in Baltimore, Maryland on a balmy Sunday afternoon. After saying goodbye to my parents at the airport, I was in disbelief that I was only hours away from arriving at Johns Hopkins University, one of the most prestigious universities in the U.S. Sometime between boarding the plane and it taking off did I finally realize that for the first time in my life, I was on my own, away from my parents and my home. It was a scary thought, but one that would quickly wash away as soon I arrived at JHU. Immediately upon setting foot on the Johns Hopkins campus, I was enamored with the intricate architecture of the buildings, the lush green lawns, and the brick walkways that connected all parts of the campus.
Campus
Meeting my roommate was exciting since I had never lived with a roommate before. She was from California and throughout the two weeks that we lived together, we got along very well. I also had two suitemates, one from Illinois and another from Colorado. Throughout my stay at JHU, I met such a diverse group of people from places like Pennsylvania, Texas, Nebraska, Canada, and even Lebanon! I thoroughly enjoyed talking to everyone I met because everyone came from a different place with their own story and background. I was surprised by how quickly we were able to make friends, and even in the least likely of places. I made so many friends just from going to the music room to practice my instrument!
Lab partners in front of the Undergraduate Teaching Labs
Microscope slides with our sectioned and stained mouse tissue
Unlike in high school where most of the learning is done in class, I was surprised by how much I learned outside of my class. A friend who was taking a bioethics class enlightened me about all the ethical issues doctors face everyday. With another friend who was a research intern, we held very substantive conversations on the research he was conducting, immunotherapy. And from my roommate who was taking an abnormal psychology class, I learned the process in which a criminal can be declared mentally insane.
Outside of class, I had, with my friends, amazing experiences exploring JHU, Baltimore, and the surrounding area. Baltimore’s nickname is “Charm city” and the Inner Harbor, a tourist attraction located near downtown Baltimore, certainly lives up to this name. Venturing into the Inner Harbor on a Friday evening with my friends like typical tourists, we were enchanted by the spectacular view of the sunset from the boardwalk. During the one weekend we spent there, we visited Annapolis, the capital of Maryland, one day, and then Washington D.C. the next.
At the Washington Monument
My taste of college life was very different than my high school life. When my class got out at 4:30 every afternoon, I was free to do whatever I wanted. Unlike in high school where I frantically run to catch the school bus immediately after school, at JHU, I could leisurely walk around campus and take in all the sights and sounds. Everything was within walking distance which gave me a sense of newfound independence. I loved taking trips to the library to study or finish homework. (And might I add, the Eisenhower library is by far the largest library I have ever set foot in. With its six floors full of books everywhere, I easily spent hours just perusing through one section of books.)
My two weeks at JHU flew by faster than the speed of light, and before I knew it, I was packing my things to leave. Overall, my experience was incredible. I learned more than I thought was possible in a two-week period and I made magnificent memories with my new friends and all the people I met. Thank you so much, Joyce Ivy Foundation, for giving me this wonderful opportunity to grow, explore, and learn at Johns Hopkins. I had an unforgettable experience at JHU. Coming out of this pre-college program, I feel much more confident and prepared towards these next two years of high school and whatever the future may hold.
Learn more about Joyce Ivy partner program Discover Hopkins!
More information about the Joyce Ivy Summer Scholars program can be found here.
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