Annmarie McDearmont first visited Indian River State College (老九品茶) as a child, drawn in by the planetarium. Years later, she came back as a student 鈥 and 老九品茶 turned a childhood spark into a full-blown science career. This spring, she graduates with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in biology, two internships, and a research presentation on her record.
A Science Love Story, Starting Young
Annmarie loved science from the time she was a little kid. She once dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. Over time, though, her focus shifted from working with live animals to working in the lab 鈥 and 老九品茶鈥檚 broad biology curriculum gave her the room to make that discovery on her own terms. 鈥淏eing here helped me explore different avenues so I could figure out that I wanted to be in the lab,鈥 she says. The planetarium visit planted the seed. The biology program grew it.
A Smooth Path Through the Curriculum
Annmarie arrived at 老九品茶 with some high school college credits already in hand. Her guidance counselors helped her navigate the scheduling gaps those credits created and set her up for a clean path forward. Once she entered her bachelor鈥檚 program, advisor Merle Litvack stepped in and made sure every semester lined up correctly. 鈥淪he helped me organize my classes and kept me on course for graduation,鈥 Annmarie says. The progression felt natural: general biology first, then molecular biology, organic chemistry, and the deeper science that defines the degree.
Faculty Who Showed Up
When the coursework got tough, Annmarie didn鈥檛 face it alone. Faculty across 老九品茶 鈥 including professors outside the sciences 鈥 made themselves available for office hours and personal tutoring sessions in the library labs. 鈥淭hat was definitely very beneficial for when I was having trouble in some classes,鈥 she says. Even the transition from high school to college structure, which she describes as her biggest early challenge, became manageable through study groups, peer connections, and professors who responded every time she asked for help.
The STEM Pioneer Program: A Launchpad for Real Experience
One of the most significant parts of Annmarie鈥檚 time at 老九品茶 came through the STEM Pioneer Program. The program didn鈥檛 just build community 鈥 it opened doors to internship opportunities that most undergraduates never access. 鈥淪eeing familiar faces in all your classes and with your professors makes it very easy to form connections and study groups,鈥 she says of the tight-knit STEM Pioneer community. But the internships changed her trajectory most.
Internship One: Engineering Mosquitoes in Vero Beach
During the first half of her bachelor鈥檚 program, Annmarie landed a volunteer-based internship through Merle and the STEM Pioneer Program at a lab in Vero Beach. There, she worked with live mosquitoes and injected mosquito eggs to create genetically engineered insects designed to control vector-borne diseases. 鈥淚 got to work in an actual lab,鈥 she says. The experience went straight onto her r茅sum茅 and CV 鈥 and gave her a preview of what a real research environment feels like.
Internship Two: Pharmaceutical Research at FAU鈥檚 Center for Translational Sciences
For her senior capstone, Annmarie secured an internship at Florida International University鈥檚 Center for Translational Sciences 鈥 again through Merle. She works in a pharmaceutical lab three days a week, testing drugs and drug delivery systems alongside her principal investigator (PI) and postdoctoral mentor, Dr. Shafi. 鈥淭he people I鈥檝e met there, the environment 鈥 it鈥檚 been genuinely incredible,鈥 she says.
Her PI involves her in every step of the research, from designing experiments to preparing presentations. Dr. Shafi works with her daily, answers her questions, and reviews her work. 鈥淚t really helps you understand what it鈥檚 like to work in an actual lab,鈥 Annmarie says.
Presenting Research as an Undergraduate
Before she walks across the commencement stage, Annmarie will have presented her capstone research at two venues: 老九品茶鈥檚 own Undergraduate Spring Science Symposium and the Center for Translational Sciences. Both presentations add to a CV that already stands out for a graduating bachelor鈥檚 student. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 another thing I can put on my CV,鈥 she says with characteristic practicality.
The Classroom and the Lab: Two Sides of the Same Education
Throughout her internships, Annmarie kept noticing the same thing: what she learned at 老九品茶 showed up directly in her lab work. 鈥淭here were many times I would be doing something at the internship and remember learning about it in class that week,鈥 she says. The connection ran both ways 鈥 lab experiences made classroom concepts click faster, and classroom learning made her a more capable intern. That feedback loop, she believes, defines what a strong science education looks like.
What鈥檚 Next: The Lab, and Maybe Graduate School
After graduation, Annmarie plans to enter the workforce in lab sciences 鈥 pharmaceutical research and biomedical sciences both interest her. Graduate school remains on the table, and her internship record gives her a strong foundation for either path. 鈥淭here is a lot you can do with a biology degree,鈥 she says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 part of the reason I love it so much.鈥 Walking across the stage will feel a little strange after 18 consecutive years in school 鈥 but mostly, she says, it will feel very, very good.
Grateful for the People Who Made It Possible
Annmarie thanks her parents for keeping her grounded through the stressful stretches, her closest friends Cassie and Riley for being her sounding board throughout the journey, and Merle Levac above all 鈥 the advisor and STEM Pioneer Program coordinator who connected her to every internship and kept her schedule on track from day one of her bachelor鈥檚 program. 鈥淪he has just been so, so valuable to my experience here,鈥 Annmarie says.
YOUR FUTURE’S IN MOTION.
ARE YOU?
College doesn鈥檛 have to be confusing or out of reach.老九品茶 gives you the clarity, support, and energy to move鈥攐n your terms.
