ABEER WASHINGTON – Graduate School Vice President Wears Many Hats, Shoes

Graduate School student, Abeer Washington, already has medical school in mind. After she completes her master’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences this summer, she will enter medical school in the fall. “I have an undergraduate degree in psychology, so instead of going back and getting an undergraduate degree in biology, I thought I’d go back and strengthen my application of the ‘hard’ sciences,” said Washington.

While expanding her scientific portfolio, Washington has also kept busy as vice president of the Graduate Student Association (GSA). As possible first in command following the GSA president’s unexpected leave, Washington has stood by prepared and actively involved in the association. Throughout the year, she has participated in arising activities by offering assistance in any way possible. “It’s been a bit of a non-traditional role, since there are so few officers and so many graduate students,” said Washington. “So, if I happened to be nearby when Dr. Kennedy [Richard H. Kennedy, Ph.D., dean of the school], asked for something to be done, I wouldn’t just pass it on to the president. I would do it. In that way, our whole council has worked in a collaborative effort to best serve our fellow students.”

Some projects Washington participated in this year included encouraging graduate student participation in judging at a Woodruff Elementary School science fair, serving as a liaison for the first annual career day held in April and helping to write a grant in pharmaceutical sciences that led to the development of the first PharmForum. She said, “We all get excited about making students more passionate about the career path they’ve chosen by involving them in outreach programs in the pharmaceutical sciences, because Arkansas is lacking in that area.”

In her “spare time,” Washington puts her work hats of service and science on the shelf — and grabs her running shoes. “When I’m not in the lab doing research, I like to run and do aerobics,” she said.  “There’s an aerobics class at War Memorial Fitness Center that a lot of students from every college go to. So, it’s fun to go to that class. It’s more like socializing while you’re working out.”

Washington is also a Sunday school teacher for elementary-school-age members of St. Mark Baptist Church where her husband, Codney, plays the trumpet. Washington revealed that Codney is a source of inspiration for her. “I couldn’t imagine being able to handle all of this without him,” she said. “He constantly reminds me that I’m not the one in charge — God is, and I think that’s the best piece of advice I’ve ever received. It applies to everything, not just making it through graduate school, but through life.”  

*For high res photo, click on above image.

03/30/07