Welcome to Gustavus Adolphus College’s Student Stories Series!
Minnesota Genetic Counselors Association Spring Educational Conference Attendee
Major: Biology
Minor: English
How did you get the opportunity/experience? What steps did you take to achieve this?
I got the opportunity through the MNGCA website. I knew about the conference from attending with the club last year, and after applying for funding, I was able to purchase tickets. I am one of the co-presidents of the Genetics Club on campus, and have been busy planning our meetings, volunteering with hospice, job shadowing with current genetic counselors, and exploring various graduate programs and summer internships in the field. These things have prepared me to better understand and appreciate the information and opportunities this conference provides. Many others in the club have been doing the same, or are just starting on their career exploration journey, and this would help them to gain more experience and insight into genetic counseling and genetics as a whole.
Tell us more about your accomplishment.
The MNGCA is a non-profit organization made up of genetic counselors and genetic counseling graduate students across the state of Minnesota. Education is their primary focus, and they hold this informational conference on genetic counseling topics and research every spring. As attendees, members of the club would not have any official responsibilities, but would be given the chance to listen to and watch various presentations, engage in networking, and ask questions about the career to current practitioners. This experience gives individuals a look at many different aspects and specialty fields within genetic counseling, and helps to provide another experience outside of job shadowing and finding their own resources to learn about the profession. It is a good window into the future of the field and into what responsibilities and experiences in genetic counseling look like. Personally, attending on my own in the past has helped me to realize that this is the profession for me, and I want others to be able to be afforded that same opportunity.
Who were some of the people who helped you most at Gustavus to get this opportunity? What did you learn from them?
Melissa Banse and Julie Rudolf helped me with seeking out funding for additional tickets. I learned of The Engaged Learning Fund from them.
How did the Engaged Learning Funds help you be able to complete this experience?
The Engaged Learning Fund allowed me to afford a ticket to be able to attend.
Anything else you want to share about your experience working with Career Development?
Everyone I worked with was very helpful! Thank you so much for your help!
How have you applied things you’ve learned here at Gustavus to this opportunity? (i.e., Career & Self Development, Communication, Critical Thinking, Equity & Inclusion, Leadership, Professionalism, Teamwork, Technology)
I used a number of communication and professionalism skills that I have honed over the years to network with professionals and graduate program heads.
