Idil Abdi (Class of 2023) transferred to the college at the peak of the pandemic. She fell in love with microbiology as a student at St. Paul College. Despite the less-than-ideal circumstances, she made the most of her time at the U from aiding in research on potential treatments for white-nose syndrome in bats to gaining leadership experience as a member of the CBS Events Board. Idil plans to continue with research post-graduation with an eye to eventually pursue a Ph.D./M.D.
Reflecting on her experience as an undergraduate, Idil says what she’ll miss most is working with peers. “Science is very collaborative – you have to work with people,” says Idil, who notes that the emphasis on teamwork made her a better communicator and boosted her confidence as a scientist. “Everyone brings a different perspective and different experience. There was always someone there to help.