The Amanda Hope Skolnick Undergraduate Award is given annually to honor the memory of Amanda Skolnick, who worked as a Laboratory Assistant in the Department of Pharmacology while an undergraduate at Iowa. In her junior year of study, Amanda’s life tragically ended after being struck by a motor vehicle in Iowa City. The Skolnick family made a generous donation to the Department of Pharmacology to establish a tuition scholarship award in memory of Amanda. 

Our 2017 award recipient was Emily Anderson.  Emily has been a Laboratory Assistant in Dr. Yuriy Usachev's laboratory since the spring of 2015. She is a senior working towards a double B.S. Major in Biology and Human Physiology.  Emily has provided below a short biography of her time at Iowa and her future goals.

Extracurricular and off-campus activities:  I volunteer at the hospital, mentor for Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE), and was elected to be on the executive board for Student United Way. In my free time, I enjoy running, watching documentaries, fueling my coffee addiction, and playing with my three dogs: Nikko, Alaska, and Worry-Boy. 

Career goals/graduate study:  After college, I plan to attend medical school and strive to go into either cardiothoracic or vascular surgery. In addition to this, I would also like to continue conducting specialty-related research.

What I love about University of Iowa:  I love the endless opportunities that Iowa provides, whether it be academic or extracurricular. Iowa allows you to make your academic career your own, with amazing mentors helping you along the way.  

Emily says… when life gets you down, never forget there is another door waiting for you to open it. Keep your head up, and don’t let anyone get in your way of achieving your goals!