Rachael Breen CLASS OF '09

Senior

Hometown: Seneca, SD

Major: Microbiology

Minors: Biology, Chemistry, Biotechnology

Rachael Breen counts her lab experience among the highlights of her SDSU career. “All this hands-on work is really building my resume,” she says. “But it’s also showing me how my coursework connects with my job. It shows me what’s important, and helps everything make sense.”

Last year, Rachael took her work another step forward when she won the Nelson Undergraduate Research Mentorship. She spent two months designing and implementing original research on a virus that scientists hope will ultimately help fight cancer. “That was incredible,” says Rachael. “I learned how projects evolve from concept through completion—and how tough it is to stay on schedule. Right now I just couldn’t get that kind of real work experience anywhere but at SDSU.”