When looking for a college, Madison Buckles ’23 decided to apply for thirteen schools! However, Hiram turned out to the only college that made her feel like she “belonged.” “Hiram gave me a one-on-one tour and I even got to meet a biochemistry professor! Since the college had professors willing to meet with prospective students I couldn’t imagine what they would do for their current students,” she laughs. Along with the connections she made during her tour, Buckles was impressed that she could pursue a biomedical humanities major instead of a typical pre-med major. She says, “I thought it would help me stand out when applying to medical school, and it really did!”

Buckles is heavily involved on Hiram’s campus. She serves as the President for Corps for Rural & Urban Success in Health (CRUSH), the Vice President of Hiram’s pre-health group Medicus, and is part of Hiram’s Alpha Honor Society. When she is not collaborating with her peers, Buckles can be found working as a biology TA and a research intern, and she assists with the herbarium restoration and greenhouse maintenance. “I spent 400 hours last summer conducting cancer research using plant extracts to kill melanoma cancer cells,” she says. “This summer, I have just started a project looking at certain particles that absorb carbon and nitrogen from the air that can be implemented into soils to help the environment.”

Two of Buckles’ favorite classes have been Genetics with professor Brad Goodner and Cancer Biology with professor Julie Maxson. Buckles says, “Genetics was one of the most challenging classes I have taken so far, but it was challenging in a good way. I came out of the class with the ability to think logically and feel more confident in my ability to problem-solve. Cancer Biology contained information on a topic I’m passionate about. It was inspirational to see the progress made in cancer treatment over the last century and it allowed me to picture myself with a career directly related to the topic.”

Buckles plans on attending medical school and becoming a physician in oncology, dermatology, or internal medicine. “My interest in going into the medical field started when I was thirteen and diagnosed with stage three spitzoid melanoma, a form of skin cancer. That’s what lead me to pre-med and especially biomedical humanities,” she says. Buckles was accepted into Hiram’s pipeline program, which guarantees a spot at NEOMED’s medical school. “I was shocked that I could have a reserved seat for medical school as a college sophomore!”

Buckles encourages students to attend Hiram. “The best decision I ever made was to go here. Hiram has the best science professors you’ll ever meet. For those not interested in the sciences, consider Hiram because of the friendly atmosphere, small class sizes, and exceptional students and staff. And once you get here, get involved. Find a group of friends, a club, a mentor, a study group, anything! I promise you’ll find something you love!”