By Megan Finlan ’21, staff writer
From conducting graduate level research to donating over 100 hours of his time to volunteer work, Brandon Roy made the most of his four years at LVC through his extensive involvement on campus.
As a biochemistry & molecular biology major, Roy is no stranger in the research lab. Through the numerous research projects he has conducted, Roy has had the opportunity to present his work not only on campus, but also at multiple conferences at the national level. Last spring, Roy attended the National American Chemical Society (ACS) Meeting in Orlando, Florida, where he was received recognition for his work. Along with the ACS, Roy has received distinguishable honors from the Barry Goldwater Foundation and the National Council for Undergraduate Research for his work.
“My favorite memories at LVC are mostly on fourth floor Neidig-Garber,” Roy said. “My adviser and many of my professors have become more like friends in the last couple of years and I’ll miss them all. Having so many people around me being enthusiastic about learning is what made LVC so great.”
Apart from his studies on campus, Roy also participated in over 100 hours of volunteer work. He primarily volunteered with the American Foundation for Children with Aids (AFCA), but he also donated his time in an Outreach360 program teaching English in the Dominican Republic over spring break in 2019, and he served meals at the Breaking Bread Food Pantry in Harrisburg.
“Volunteering while in school helped me to understand others,” Roy said. “I was able to meet so many other people from other walks of life and it allowed me to understand my place in the world.”
This past summer, Roy attended Cornell University and interned with Cornell AgriTech, where he found he could bring together his love of research and volunteering. The internship focused on plant pathology which is the study of diseases in plants caused by pathogens and environmental conditions. During his internship, Roy had the opportunity to experience the extension work the college was doing with elementary schools to teach students about the department.
“At Cornell, I only got to witness others doing extension work, but I knew that I wanted to try it,” Roy said. “After reaching out to professors in the science department, Tri-Beta was able to organize the first Annville School District 6th Grade STEM field trip. This experience was able to tie together my past internship and volunteer experience into one bundle.”
Despite his dedication to his coursework and volunteering, somehow Roy still managed to find time to be involved in multiple other activities on campus. He also participated as a First-Year Mentor, President of Tri-Beta Biology Honor Society, member of the Organ Guild and Chapter Delegate for Kappa Sigma Epsilon.
“My advice for future Dutchmen would be to get involved,” Roy said. “There are so many different opportunities available, and you are in charge of your own future. If you do this, LVC will prepare you for the world beyond college.”
Upon graduation, Roy will attend Cornell University where he will pursue his Ph.D. in plant pathology and plant-microbe biology. He also plans to obtain minors in molecular biology and computer science with the hope of moving into the Bioinformatics field after completing his studies.