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 “For anyone planning a future in science, an open mind is a must.” This advice from Anne-Kathrin's former high school chemistry teacher Dr. List became a leading motto throughout her education and research experiences. To follow this advice and nourish her interest in the sciences, Anne-Kathrin decided at an early age to focus her studies toward the United States by attending the international boarding school Schule Schloss Salem. Her dream to study in the U.S. came true when she received a Rotary scholarship to attend Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia.
The summer of 2004 represented a major transition time for Anne-Kathrin. Saying good bye to family and friends and traveling into the unknown was a step that required courage and strength. On the other hand, she never before had been so excited, filled with new energy and spirit of adventure. "While I had great expectations, they were surpassed by the friendliness and openness of my Macon host family who helped me to get a head start into college life," Anne-Kathrin remembered. Inspired by the international environment at Wesleyan, she enjoyed a seamless transition. Now she strongly believes that the experiences throughout college, including sisterhood activities and sports activities with the cross country team, shaped her into a conscientious international citizen equipped with the necessary resources to approach all challenges life holds.
While at Wesleyan College, Anne-Kathrin started to formulate the next set of goals for her life by electing a double major in Chemistry and Economics. She was able to blend the two fields of business and science. During the summer between her junior and senior year, she interned at the pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim in Germany. Interning in the supply chain management department offered her the opportunity to discover many different areas of research within the biopharmaceutical company, and also the opportunity to start networking with the chemists on site - especially in the medical research and development areas.
"To see with my own eyes," she said, "what is possible when researchers around the globe work together with the focus on discovering new treatments for diseases ranging from arthritis to pulmonary infections made me wish to someday belong among these high ranked Ph.D. scientists."
She is well on her way to accomplishing that wish. Anne-Kathrin believes she can make the greatest contribution in the areas of research and development. Upon graduation in May of 2007, this summa cum laude graduate chose to return to Germany and she is now attending International Max Planck Research Institute for Molecular and Cellular Life Sciences (Ludwick Maximilians University) in Munich to obtain her Ph.D. in biochemistry.
She is confident that Wesleyan College prepared her with a solid foundation in all of the sciences. The small-sized classes at Wesleyan, the chance to work closely with professors on research projects and to present these experiences at scientific meetings such as the American Chemical Society Annual Conference in Chicago in the spring of 2007, afforded Anne-Kathrin opportunities to research at a level usually reserved for graduate students on larger college campuses.
Recently, Anne-Kathrin was named a National Mortar Board Fellowship Recipient and received the Student Trust Fellowship, a $5,000 award. She was initiated into Mortar Board in 2006, and served as chapter president at Wesleyan. Mortar Board is a national honor society that recognizes college seniors for outstanding achievement in scholarship, leadership and service.
This year, a total of $38,500 in fellowships was awarded to 13 Mortar Board members nationally. Fellowship recipients are chosen based on academic excellence, recommendation, promise, financial need and Mortar Board involvement. Since the establishment of the Mortar Board fellowship program in 1941, more than $500,000 has been awarded to assist members in pursuing further study in graduate or professional school.
Mortar Board provides opportunities for continued leadership development, promotes service to colleges and universities and encourages lifelong contributions to the global community. Some notable Mortar Board members include former President Jimmy Carter, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Lance Armstrong and former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
Looking back, Anne-Kathrin felt that her experiences in the U.S., and specifically at Wesleyan College, have not only helped her to grow but also have shaped her into an independent woman with strong character -- some one "able to look ahead with an open mind and an eagerness to explore what life holds." |
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