“I enjoy being able to look at an organism and see how biology, chemistry, and physics have worked together to create life.”
— Hannah Briggs
“I believe that many students at Allegheny study what they study because they enjoy it,” says Hannah Briggs, and she herself is no exception. A Biology major from Leicester, NY, Hannah fell in love with the sciences in high school and decided to continue pursuing her academic interests at Allegheny.
“I love learning about the interconnectedness of science,” she explains. “I enjoy being able to look at an organism and see how biology, chemistry, and physics have worked together to create life.”
Hannah’s Biology studies have not only led to her induction into the Beta Beta Beta National Biology Honor Society, of which she was the secretary, but they have also resulted in her pursuit of various off-campus opportunities. Locally, she fulfilled a Physical Therapy Allied Health Internship with the Meadville Medical Center, helping her to gain insight about careers in healthcare. In addition,
Hannah’s experiences have also included a summer research venture at the University of Rochester and an Independent Study at the Duke Marine Lab, one of her most impactful experiences related to Allegheny.
“It was absolutely fabulous! The Duke program taught me about topics I had never even heard of before and helped me learn a lot about myself. It included a lot of hands-on research with marine life, and I even collected crabs in the pouring rain alongside professors!”
Back on campus, Hannah’s extracurricular activities include membership in the Allegheny Christian Outreach group and Alpha Phi Omega, through which she helps organize campus blood drives by working with the Northwest Pennsylvania branch of the Red Cross. She claims that her key to success at Allegheny has been the support of her professors.
“Visiting my professors outside of class has really helped me,” Hannah says. “You can tell that they are not only extremely knowledgeable in their field, but that they truly care about teaching. I feel so much more confident and competent about my studies after having their reassurance.”