This is an archived UW-P news item,
originally posted: 11/27/2006.
UW-Parkside Student Finds Formula for Success
As the current recipient of UW-Parkside's Stanley Gruenwald Memorial Scholarship in Chemistry, Adam's zeal for the analytical sciences was not in evidence when he began his college studies. Originally, Adam had art and language on his mind; that is, until he took his first chemistry class as a junior! Making the decision to major in chemistry set off a chain reaction of academic activity that most graduate students would be proud to claim.
Adam, a Kenosha native, chose UW-Parkside for all the typical reasons: close to home, small class size, beautiful campus environment. He stayed because, as Adam said, "I got the chance to know my Professors, take all the classes I wanted to, and do research with real life application."
Adam credits Dr. Lori Allen (chemistry) for the level of mentorship that has allowed him to participate in several community projects that offered a broader research application. One of those projects was analyzing trace level mercury and, working in tandem with UW-Parkside's geosciences department, conducting a survey of trace metal contamination in the water systems of SE Wisconsin. As a reference for his scholarship application, Dr. Allen wrote of Adam, "I claim the relationship of mentor, but I see the day when that relationship changes to colleague." Adam has plans to pursue graduate studies in chemistry. Yet, for Adam, his research activity is just the tip of the iceberg.
In 2005, Adam took the lead with other chemistry students to reestablish the Chemistry Club. In their first year, the group successfully organized a fund raiser to send a group of students to attend the Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy last March to present their research. Team leading seems to be in Adam's blood. This year the chemistry department instituted a new kind of peer tutoring. Adam, a veteran tutor on campus, now works as part of a team of students who facilitate discussion sessions for three Chemistry 101 classes.
Even though Adam continues to work as a press operator at the Kenosha News 12-16 hours a week, he somehow managed to find time to take a tour to Turkey with his father to visit the family's Armenian ancestral home last summer. An 18-day pilgrimage, they traveled 3500 circuitous miles through that countryside.
According to Cynthia Jensen, Director of Student Scholarships, "Adam is the kind of student who would have attracted the attention of the scholarship committee early in his career, if only he had applied! I'm glad that he finally applied so we could acknowledge him in his senior year." Jensen went on to say she hopes Adam's story encourages other students not to wait so long to apply for scholarships.
Publish date: 11/27/2006
