When Laura-Ashley took a trip to El Salvador with the RWU chapter of FIMRC (Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children), she had no idea what to expect. Maybe some office organization and interacting with the local community, she thought. So when the group arrived and began conducting prenatal exams, physicals on newborns and giving out flu vaccines, the junior biology and chemistry major was blown away.

“Everyone loved us because they knew we were there to help. They were so, so nice.”

Laura-Ashley was also the president of the pre-med club, a member of both the chemistry club and the TriBeta Honor Society , and involved in student/faculty research, which, she says was invaluable to her educational experience at RWU. “The techniques I learned in the lab were invaluable in my classes. Often, my professors asked me to help my classmates because they knew I had experience with the different tools.”

“Keep an open mind. On campus you may change groups, majors, even friends.”