Jordyn Roemhildt '19

Name: Jordyn Roemhildt

Graduation Year: 2019

Major: Biology

My Story: I spent all of my high school years and approximately half of my four
years at Gustavus determined that I was going to go to become a vet. After
doing some shadowing with a local vet office, I quickly determined that this
was not the career for me. Over a number of months, I slowly came to the
realization that I was already working in a field that I loved (see me having a
blast at work above!), even if it wasn’t what I had planned. I had been working
as a pharmacy technician in town, which turned out to be a great opportunity
for me. It was an equally great way for me to help people in a challenging and
fulfilling career.

Now, as I currently prepare for my classes at the University of Minnesota’s
College of Pharmacy (starting Fall 2019), I am endlessly thankful that I attended Gustavus.
Not only do I feel well prepared due to the challenging coursework
that I overcame and completed, but my curiosity has been fostered and
encouraged by many professors. Particularly, several professors in the biology
department have helped me develop specific interests in the pharmaceutical
field. I am so excited to dive into these interests further as I progress through
my pharmacy education. Additionally, several professors in the English
department, where I got my minor, have encouraged me to continue doing
other things I love.

Top Five Activities/Experiences: (in no particular order)
1. Helping produce the Gustavus literary magazine Firethorne

2. Tri-Beta

3. Characterizing parts of the canine oral microbiome as independent research

4. Tutoring for the Biology Department

5. Joining a book club

Advice:
1. Shadow early! It is so easy to think that something will be what you love, but
trying it really is necessary. It is so important to have some experience going into
large decisions like these. My change in future plans worked well, but I still wish I
had done more earlier on. And if the experience is an enjoyable one, then you only
have more experience under your belt.

2. Be open minded about the opportunities that you have. Often times the
opportunities we are given don’t match up exactly with the master plan in our
heads, but sometimes these are the best opportunities. For example, I never
pictured myself tutoring in biology, until two of my professors requested that I
apply for the position. It ended up being one of the most enjoyable experiences I had
at Gustavus. Additionally, it provided me with so many unexpected skills that made
me shine while I applied for pharmacy school.

3. Find and develop your interests. As much as I hate to admit it, I wasn’t in love
with my biology major until I started taking classes more in line with my interests in
my junior year. I had liked biology but wasn’t fully invested. Then I had the chance
to take classes that taught me more about physiology and medicine. When I began
taking classes that aligned more with my interests, I started feeling much more
engaged in what I was learning. It is important to find these interests and pursue
them, both in class and out of class.

Future Plans:

I will be joining the University of Minnesota’s College of Pharmacy Class of 2023, starting in Fall 2019. I
will spend the next several years achieving my PharmD and learning about all of the
possibilities and opportunities in the pharmaceutical field. Meanwhile, I will continue to work as a pharmacy technician and eventually as a pharmacy intern to give back to my community. Afterwards, I will hopefully get to pursue one of my
interests in cancer medicine or HIV treatments, where I will get to work closely with patients to find the best options for them.

 Updated 08/13/2019 HB