Jennifer A Crainic

Jennifer A Crainic

Bachelor of Arts

Biology

Chemistry

Rhetoric and Composition

Though Im a December 2019 grad, Im still a member of the class of 2020 at heart. At Oberlin my time was shared between being the captain of the Dressage Team, being a co-chair of the Student Honor Committee, and doing research in the Biology and Chemistry department. In Professor Parsons lab, I studied a class of enzymes - serine hydrolases - that are implicated in diseases like Type II diabetes and Parkinsons disease. In Professor Garvins lab I surveyed the prevalence of Lyme disease in northeast Ohio ticks. Additionally, on campus I enjoyed cooking and eating meals in Pyle, was also a longtime member of Club Sports Council, and worked as a writing, course writing, and speaking associate. If I wasnt studying in the science library or riding horses, I could probably be found at The Local enjoying a soy latte and listening to a podcast on 2x speed or biking or running on the bike trail.

Research Assistant

Writing Associate

OWL

Pyle is my favorite space on campus since it is guaranteed to be full of friends (and tasty things!). After joining Pyle, the days of wondering who to eat with were long gone because every meal felt like a family dinner.

My favorite class was RHET 207, Literary Journalism, with Prof. Hal Sundt. We each reported on one story and I chose to report on the Equine Herpes Virus outbreak affecting the equestrian teams competition schedule that semester. I loved combining my passions for science and creative non-fiction and also being on the front lines of journalism. This fall I had the opportunity to re-experience the class by being the writing associate!

Dressage

Equestrian

Club Sports Council

Student Honor Committee

"Don't let school get in the way of your education" - Professor Mary Garvin (Biology Dept, Oberlin College)

Fall semester freshman year is tough for everyone and it wasnt until my first equestrian competition that I felt that I had a family on campus. When I returned from a weekend in West Virginia, my abs hurt from laughing and my face from smiling. It wasnt about the number of wins, but about how the upperclassmen on the team included and nurtured me, the only freshman on the trip. I learned that weekend that Oberlin students are more than I thought they were.

12/21/2019

Since graduating in December, I have been working at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania as a research assistant in a cancer biology lab. I plan on pursuing a PhD in the biological sciences in the future.