Brown also opened up many doors for me outside of the University. With its strong alumni network and a great job search platform, I was able to set up meaningful internships during my second year of study. I worked in a biotech consulting firm, owned and operated by a Brown alumnus, for several months. I also worked for a biotech venture capital firm. Perhaps most importantly, this degree helped bolster my dental school application and allowed me to be accepted to my top choice for dental school.

Rob, a Rhode Island native, attended Connecticut College as an undergraduate, and came to Brown to pursue a Master’s of Arts in Biotechnology. Rob used his Master’s and Brown connections to find internships and to boost his resume for Dental School. He is currently in his clinical years at the University of New England College of Dental Medicine. Here is Rob's experience:

What made you decide to attend Brown? 

Rob: Growing up in Rhode Island, I was very familiar with Brown University. As a kid, I attended many athletic games, summer camps and events on the Brown campus. It was always my hope that I would be able to earn a degree from the university at some point in my academic career. After graduating from undergrad, I developed an interest in biotechnology and was hoping to pursue this interest in an academic setting. This came about while working in research at Rhode Island Hospital where there is much overlap between the hospital and Brown. So for me, the only place I could imagine myself continuing my education was at Brown.

What school did you come from and what did you study as an undergraduate? 

Rob:  I completed my undergraduate studies at Connecticut College. My major was biochemistry/ cellular and molecular biology.

What made you decide to get a Masters of Arts?

Rob: During the first year of my masters, I was working as a research technician at Rhode Island Hospital. I felt that I was getting enough exposure to research and wasn’t feeling overly inclined to start another research project. Additionally, I knew I wouldn’t be pursuing a career in research, so it didn’t seem as essential to work towards an MS.

What did you get from your Master’s Degree at Brown?

Rob: I always tell people that Brown gave me the opportunity to learn how to learn. During my undergraduate career, academics often took a backseat to athletics, so my study methods were never really conducive to actual learning. At Brown, I went to class because I wanted to, not because I had to. I was able to develop my own way to learn and retain information and it’s been an invaluable tool.

Brown also opened up many doors for me outside of the University. With its strong alumni network and a great job search platform, I was able to set up meaningful internships during my second year of study. I worked in a biotech consulting firm, owned and operated by a Brown alumnus, for several months. I also worked for a biotech venture capital firm, (I found the position through Brown’s job search site) and following my internship there, I was hired. Perhaps most importantly, this degree helped bolster my dental school application and allowed me to be accepted to my top choice for dental school.

Where are you now and how did Brown help you get there if it did? 

Rob:  I’m currently in my third year at the University of New England College of Dental Medicine.

What did you like about Brown?

Rob: What I most appreciated from the master’s program was the ability to choose the classes I was interested in, allowing me to really get what I wanted out of the program. I felt like I was able to build my own master’s within the biotechnology program that was really tailored to my interests.

Given the outcome of your degree would you make the same decision to attend Brown?

Rob: I would most certainly make the same choice to attend Brown.