Undergraduate Learning Assistants and Graduate Teaching Assistants

I'm Sydney, a junior majoring in human biology. I plan on attending medical school upon graduation. I'm super passionate about biology and very excited to have this opportunity to be a ULA for one of my favorite classes, BS171!

Taking BS161 was such an eye-opening experience into a whole new world of biology for me. Having the opportunity to now be an undergraduate learning assistant for the same class a year later is truly a full circle moment that I could’ve never been more grateful for.

Hi! I'm Vrinda and I am majoring in Neuroscience and Human Biology with a minor in Bioethics. I work as a research assistant studying ovarian cancer and have gotten very passionate about research over my undergraduate career. I’m excited to bring what I’ve learned into the classroom!

I love being a ULA for BS161 and I truly valued and enjoyed BS161 as a student. It is such a fundamental class for students and lays the foundation for many other courses. I look forward to helping my fellow undergraduates!

Sofya Mishina is an undergraduate student majoring in Microbiology in College of Natural Science and an undergraduate learning assistant for BS161 in BioSci. She is from Russia and has been conducting research studies in the field of Physiology and Immunology since high school. Some of her noticeable studies were about regeneration capabilities of axolotls and planarians, posted in a news article for the First Moscow State Medical University. Her current research focuses on sex-biased autoimmune disease and VGLL3 expression in Eublepharis macularis.

I am a 2nd year PhD. student, in the MSU Electric Fish Lab in the Department of Integrative Biology. My work is on ion channels and reproductive evolution in weakly electric fish.

(she/her)

Cell and Molecules (BS161) is a fundamental class that has helped guide and inspire my future career in veterinary medicine. I enjoy being able to aid students in the course content not only to help them feel the same way, but also because of my love for the subject and its material. Helping students learn to love this subject the way I do, and therefore feel fulfilled in their understanding and learning. In my past experiences tutoring and mentoring students of all abilities has been my inspiration for becoming a ULA, and I hope to be an open resource for students to promote their academic and college experiences!

I am a psychology student with a minor in cognitive sciences. I am interested in the field of medicine, with the aspiration of becoming a psychiatrist. I am currently participating in Dr. Cesario's lab, which focuses on the police use of deadly force and computational modeling of fast decisions, and I previously volunteered in a pharmacy lab at the University of Houston focused on C. difficile infections. 

I'm excited to work as a ULA for BS161!

(he/him)

Garrett is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Plant Biology and the Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior program at Michigan State University. He completed his bachelor's at Grand Valley State University, where he worked on projects examining carbon isotopes of 2.2 billion-year-old stromatolites and developed a K-12 lesson plan exploring what lives in conifer cones. At MSU, Garrett is a member of Dr. Tammy Long's lab, where he will explore his interests in STEM learning and community engagement. 

I am a senior working on getting my Bachelor's in Zoology. Outside of work I enjoy playing the guitar, going to the gym, and watching football. 

(he/him)

I'm a second-year doctoral student in the Department of Integrative Biology and the Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program at Michigan State. I graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2024 and am now in the lab of Dr. Alisha Shah at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. I study how temperature and oxygen levels drive species sorting along a gradient of freshwater habitats, using Lestes damselflies as my focal group.

Hi, I'm a sophomore majoring in Human Biology. I am excited for this opportunity of being a ULA and getting to help and support other students within the class!

I enjoy being a ULA for BS171 because I get to help students navigate important concepts and deepen their understanding of biology. It’s rewarding to see their progress and to contribute to a positive learning environment where everyone feels supported.

Brandon Beall is a Plant Biology Ph.D. student in the College of Natural Sciences at Michigan State University. He graduated with a B.S. in Agronomy from Iowa State University (2020) while researching maize endosperm. He now evaluates the cis-regulatory landscapes of plant genomes under Dr. Jiming Jiang. While not hunched over a computer or lab bench, Brandon spends his time traveling north, playing soccer, and taking weekend trips to Chicago. 

I'm Sydney, a junior majoring in human biology. I plan on attending medical school upon graduation. I'm super passionate about biology and very excited to have this opportunity to be a ULA for one of my favorite classes, BS171! 

I'm in my senior year majoring in Human Biology with minors in bioethics and health promotion! I have had to opportunity to be a ULA in the BioSci program for four semesters, and its been an incredibly rewarding experience!

Josefa Corpuz is a graduate student in MSU's Plant Biology Dept. Originally from New York City, she obtained a B.A. in English from UCLA (2009) and a B.A. in Biological Sciences from CUNY Hunter College (2024). Her research interests include agroecology and applied statistics. Outside of science, she has spent many years in editing/content management, and her fiction has appeared in various literary magazines and horror anthologies.  

https://www.linkedin.com/in/josefa-corpuz-578b0918/

I love being a ULA because it gives me the opportunity to support students in their learning journey. I am passionate about education and science. I value creating a safe and comfortable environment for students!

Hannah Noel Hurd is a senior majoring in Psychology and Neuroscience. Apart from being a ULA for the BS 171 Lab, she has been involved in a total of three research labs including the The Leadership Innovation Networks and Collaboration Lab (2022-2024), Morality and Intergroup Relations Lab (2023-2024), and the Arguello Lab (2024). She was involved in the Honors College Wielenga Research Scholars Program (2023), and two time winner of the Honors College Pride Scholarship (2024-2025). She is also involved in the Women's Leadership Institute and was the recipient of the WLI 2024 scholarship. Since 2022, she has been involved in crisis intervention work with The Listening Ear as a volunteer, trainer, and staff coordinator, and is now also currently working for Peer Outreach and Education (POE) to inform college peers about SARV related topics.

(she/her) Since becoming a ULA for BS 171 I have found love in aiding students understanding of biological concepts and principles. It has been an extremely rewarding and cherished experience throughout my undergraduate career. These responsibilities as a ULA have allowed me to grow more confident in my knowledge of biology and ability to convey material to students. I genuinely look forward to more semesters being a ULA.

I am very fortunate to be able to be a ULA for BS 171. It has brought me into the biology field in ways I have never experienced and made my love for biology so much deeper. I am so lucky to get to work alongside and learn from an amazing crew of people. I am so excited to help fellow students find the same love I have for the program here at MSU.

After taking BS172 in the Fall 2024 semester, I knew that it was a class that I was interested in being a ULA for. Not only did I have a great experience with the class as a student due to the learning environment my TA/ULA provided me, but it was something that I felt engaged in when learning the concepts we had to apply to the lab. As a first-semester ULA, I am excited to go from student to teacher and see a different perspective of BS172. I am also excited to establish a comfortable environment in the classroom where students can ask questions when needed and have fun while learning the concepts that BS172 brings!

(he/him/his)  Ian Kelly is an undergraduate student expected to graduated in Spring of 2026. Originally from the southwest Chicago suburbs, he is currently studying neuroscience with plans to attend graduate school and obtain his Ph.D. once he completes his degree. He started working as a ULA in the 2024 Fall semester. When he is not teaching, he enjoys working on various research projects pertaining to neurodegenerative disease and brain injury.

(he/him) Deaglan McGreevy is a Human Biology major with a minor in Pharmacology and Toxicology. He is currently on the Pre-Pharmacy track and hopes to earn is PharmD one day.

Hi, my name is Sneha and I am a Human Biology major. I am currently on the pre-med track and hope to go to med school and become a physician in the future. I began working as a ULA in the 2025 Fall semester and thoroughly enjoy it!

I'm Madalyn Roberts. I am a current senior majoring in Human Biology with a minor in Sociology. This is my third semester as a ULA in BS172. I work at MSU Dairy Cattle Teaching and Research Farm. I am also Phi Epsilon Kappa (PEK) Volunteer Coordinator. I really enjoy being able to connect with my peers and help them overcome any difficulties, challenges or questions that they may have.

I am originally from China, and currently a Ph.D. student in the Braasch lab studying fish fin evolution.

(she/her)

Hi! I am a junior double-majoring in Microbiology and Genetics and Genomics, with a minor in Environment and Health. I am on the pre-PA track and am involved with research on campus. I am from Chicago, IL, and in my free time, I love camping and hiking, crafts, card games, and hockey!

Krish is a Human Biology major in the Osteopathic Medical Scholars Program. He serves as a ULA for BS 192H.

I am a ULA for the lab BS 192H. I am from Battle Creek, Michigan, and going into my Junior year here at MSU. I am currently double majoring in Physiology and Psychology, with the hopes to apply to Medical School. I am the Vice President of the Michigan State Women's Club Soccer White team, and the Secretary of the Future Surgeons Society.

My name is Olivia Woodard and I am a ULA for BS 192H. I am a junior zoology major with a concentration in zoo and aquarium science applying to vet school this cycle! In my free time I like to hangout with friends, paint, and I also work at a small animal emergency hospital. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-woodard1