What is your preferred name and major(s) and minor(s)?
My name is Lindsay Heckle. I majored in biology with a molecular specialization and minored in mathematics.
What are some of the jobs you held at McDaniel?
I worked as a peer tutor for SASS and conducted research over the summer with Dr. Mitschler.
What organizations were you part of at McDaniel?
I have been a member of KME (Kappa Mu Epsilon), BBB (Beta Beta Beta), ALD (Alpha Lambda Delta), and Heroes Helping Hopkins.
Tell us more about your story at McDaniel. How much did you enjoy your time at McDaniel?
I loved my time at McDaniel. The people I met and the classes I took changed me for the rest of my life.
Who do you think is/was your best mentor(s)?
Dr. Parrish has been my best mentor. I took her FYS when I was freshman, and she has been my academic advisor for the last four years. She has always been supporting me and encouraging me to be better than I thought I could be.
What were some of the challenges you encountered and how did you overcome them?
I had a very difficult time adjusting to college life my freshman and sophomore year. With the help of my family, my friends, and a few good professors, I was able to pick myself up and keep going.
What are your plans for after graduation?
This fall, I will be attending the doctoral program in Biology in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Virginia. (Basically a fancy way of saying I will be working on my PhD in biology.) I want to do research for a while but I have always wanted to teach at a college or university.
What is your best memory at McDaniel? What is your worst memory at McDaniel?
My best memories are from my junior year when my friends and I all lived on the same floor of ANW. We were always walking into each other’s rooms, and we would stay up late playing video games together. You really get a know a person when you’re screaming at them over stars in Mario Party.
My worst memory was during my summer research, when my lab mates and I cleaned tanks full of mealworms and beetles. I guess that says a lot—I don’t really have any bad memories!
What advice can you give to those not graduating?
Stop comparing yourself to others and be proud of your accomplishments. In the end, it doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing, it matters what you are doing.
