Hometown
Tinley Park, Illinois
Major and Graduation
Bachelor of Science in Biology and Psychological Sciences, minor in Pre-Medical Studies, Expected Graduation: 2024
Student Organization Involvement
American Medical Student Association (AMSA), Circle K International, Emergency Medical Services, MEDLIFE
Why did you choose your major/what do you want to do with your degree?
I wanted to pursue a degree in biology as it coincided with my previous interests in healthcare and getting a deeper dive into the science that deals closely with the functionality of the human body, and I further desired to understand more of the psychological aspect of humans which I felt filled in a gap missing by just a surface level perspective of biology/human physiology. The various features of what drives humans to act or behave in a certain way intrigued me, and in choosing a dual degree in these two sciences, I believe would help me get a comfortable and enriching grasp that can apply to my future in medicine.
What is your favorite thing about the Camras Scholars Program?
My favorite thing about the Camras Scholars Program is the ability to collaborate freely with other scholars and make the program unique to each individual; and so coming into Illinois Tech, I wasn’t sure what to expect, especially being part of a scholarship program with students who had a similar drive to learn and enhance their knowledge. I immediately felt a sense of freedom arriving on campus, and I fell into a group of scholars that helped me adjust and start planning/working on ideas that I didn’t know I could formulate as a team. The Camras Scholars Program promotes a goal-driven mindset, which is further helped by working together with other scholars to create an atmosphere that is suitable for all students at Illinois Tech.
Where do you see yourself in 20 years?
When I envision myself in 20 years, I try not to focus on the monetary aspect of things, but more on the ability of wherever I end up pursuing my career to allow me to better myself daily as an individual and adapt to any changes that may arise. On that note, in 20 years I see myself in the healthcare field, a field where technology is continually changing and methods for treatment and procedure in the workplace are dynamic, and being employed somewhere which promotes both personal and career advancement would be an optimal position in the future for me.
How do you think you best represent what it means to be a Camras scholar?
In finding myself as a student and as an individual, I found performing research in the summer of 2021 with the Department of Biology at Illinois Tech on a protein in Parkinson’s disease fostered the pursuit into Biology and Psychology greatly and further represents the many types of research that students from various degrees in the Camras Scholars Program are working on throughout the year to contribute to advancements in their field of study. Being a part of the Camras Scholars Executive Board as VP of Program Development from the 2021-2022 school year, I collaborated with the team on a recent project to promote reading at a local elementary school by bringing in scholars and potentially other students from the Illinois Tech community to read regularly throughout the semester to bring potentially a rise in the voluntary perusal of literature at the school.
Contact
Email: cstandish@hawk.iit.edu
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/collin-standish