NEWS

Alumna Gabrielle Owens received her Bachelor of Science in Biology in the Fall of 2022. Now, she is enthusiastically preparing to take her Dental Admission Test (DAT) in May with all of the knowledge she has learned through her higher education at Louisiana Tech University.

Being a West Monroe native, Owens looked for universities near her hometown which led her to Louisiana Tech.

Owens always knew this program was the right fit for her journey. Through her own experience with the Biology program, she participated in a variety of hands-on learning experiences including dissection, observation of organisms, and isotonic experiments.

“It combines both of my interests,” Owens said, “It’s a mix of art and science.”

The College of Applied and Natural Sciences (ANS) at Tech offers a variety of programs to prepare students with understanding and experience within their work field, including the School of Biological Sciences. According to collegefactual.com, this program ranks in the top ten statewide for biology.

Owen’s time at Tech got abruptly cut off by the eruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the sudden change, she missed out on real-life experiences, like the labs students participate in for their degrees.

Once Tech reopened its doors, returning to in-person classes, the professors in ANS did its best to help them adjust.

“You can tell all of the professors in our department really put the best of their students first,” Owens said. “They will answer any question, give feedback, and even help with research.”

One professor went above and beyond with Owens after the pandemic subsided. Dr. Jeff Shultz, Professor of Biological Sciences, offered Owens the opportunity to be his lab assistant for the genetics lab she missed out on due to online classes.

“I was able to see what the lab would have been like in person as well as helping other students learn,” Owens said. “I also got to experiment with PCR Testing my last quarter which created even more hands-on experiments.”

Beyond the Biology department alone, Owens had a positive attitude toward ANS. Owens took part in the school’s numerous professional organizations such as Alpha Epsilon Delta and the Pre-Dental Society.

Numerous speakers came to discuss their journey from undergraduate to higher education to these organizations in order to help students feel prepared for that process.

The final step for Owens to get into dental school is to pass the DAT. Thanks to her experience with Tech’s Biology program, Owens feels confident in her knowledge and ready to pass her exam.

This story was written by communications student Madison Plaisance.