IUPUI has played such a significant part of my story.
I first came to campus in the summer of 2004 as a student with the "Bridges to the Doctorate" program. Being a Southern girl from the state of Mississippi, I had never heard of IUPUI or been in Indianapolis before that time.
My friends and I were blazing a trail for the bridges program and partnership between Jackson State University and IUPUI. While we didn't know what to expect, members of the IUPUI community welcomed us into the fold and exposed us to cutting edge research with leaders in the field of biomedical science. The Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP) was housed in the IUPUI Graduate Office where I met key people like former Associate Dean Sherry Queener, former Assistant Dean Gwendolyn Johnson, Monica Henry and Ketha Troutman, who would connect me to scientists that would guide my development as a student researcher.
I can certainly say that had it not been for the care, concern, and connections that I made while I was a student here, I would not have returned to continue my IUPUI story.
Tabitha Hardy, IUPUI Graduate Office Assistant Dean, Department of Biology Faculty, Class of 2010
Little did I know then that more than 10 years later I would end up working for that very office. That summer I worked in the lab of Dr. Ann Roman, and after meeting and working with strong female scientists like her and Dr. Janice Blum, I knew that this was a field and a school where I could be successful.
After completing my summer experience, I entered into the PhD program in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the IU School of Medicine where I received training from some of the top scientists in the field. I graduated with my PhD in the summer of 2010 and moved to Alabama after Debra Barker, the recorder for IU PhD programs approved my thesis. I didn't return to the campus until the summer of 2014 when I brought my own student to IUPUI for a summer research experience. At this time, I not only connected my student to faculty and resources on campus, but I was also able to reconnect with the graduate office and speak with current students about my experience. This experience was so positive that when a position opened in the Graduate Office, I was contacted and asked to apply.
Long story short, I returned IUPUI in January 2017 to begin another chapter in my IUPUI story as the Assistant Dean of the Graduate School and a Lecturer in the Department of Biology. In these roles, I truly feel that I can help students fulfill their educational aspirations and attain their career goals. I can certainly say that had it not been for the care, concern, and connections that I made while I was a student here, I would not have returned to continue my IUPUI story.
Story courtesy of:
Tabitha Hardy
IUPUI Graduate Office Assistant Dean, Department of Biology Faculty, Class of 2010
