The Michigan Advantage

I don't know how many dads give it any thought but I had always thought I wanted my daughter to go to a small college. A small college had pretty much saved my ass from extinction and, having had a taste of life in both venues, I thought small was better. I especially thought that to be true if one was thinking about medical school.

Turns out, what does dad know? My daughter has been down at the University of Michigan for almost two years. She certainly received her wake-up call as to the need to modify study habits and the need to use resources. No cozy lecture hall with just 40 or so students in a chemistry class. So far at least, no sit around the professor's living room with a group of students for coffee and a discussion of ethics or current affairs. No, it's been pretty much tough schedules with big classes and evenings at the library.

Last night I got to witness the why of it all. Michigan has a great program called the Undergraduate Research Opportunity, or UROP. Kels has been working in her group for the past two years. She has had the incredible good fortune to have been published-- twice. She has had the opportunity to meet and work with great people involved in real research with real world implications. And, last night, she presented her work as a poster board presentation.

In a hall filled with about 50 other students presenting their work, there she stood. Well dressed, neat, proud, and congenial, greeting the various judges and visitors and explaining the research in which she has been involved. It was an amazing opportunity that required her to organize, prepare, and present her work in an open forum. It was an amazing opportunity to try her hand at what graduate students and medical residents do on at least an annual basis. It was a very real demonstration of why a dad can be glad his daughter selected the University of Michigan.

Judged by a field of individuals active in research, at a large research university, it was just so very cool to see her stand up and show her ability. And, not to brag too much, apparently her ability is pretty damn good: Allow me to zoom out on the photo from above--

Yes. That would be the Blue Ribbon Presentation.