Brian Leon is currently a senior at KCAPA and participant in PEF’s College Access Program (CAP). A few years ago, during the summer after his freshman year, Brian enrolled in PEF’s Scholars Advantage summer program, selecting the Human Anatomy course, having had no prior experience or formal knowledge on the topic.
“I learned a lot through the course work and especially enjoyed the college tours and job site visits,” Brian notes, adding that he found one specific career trip to be particularly enlightening. That summer, the Scholars Advantage Human Anatomy class visited the Wistar Institute, a global leader in biomedical research (group shot take during trip show above, Brian is front row, second from the right, in a grey sweatshirt). Brian recalls getting to tour the labs and seeing other students, who were part of Wistar’s High School Program in Biomedical Research, present their summer research projects. Brian thought to himself, “that could be me one day,” a sentiment he then shared during the interview process as he applied for – and was accepted to – that same summer program two years later!
Brian credits his experience with Scholars Advantage for giving him the confidence to apply for the Wistar Program, as well as equipping him with a solid base of knowledge and the resources to begin pursuing pathways to college and a career.
During Brian’s time at the Wistar Institute this past summer, he gained valuable lab experience and learned specific hands-on techniques. He then applied these skills to conduct experiments as part of his research project that explored potential gene suppression protein therapies, which he presented at the conclusion of the program. A full circle moment!
Upon completion of the Wistar program, Brian reached out to Madeline Birkner, who runs PEF’s Scholar’s Advantage Program, to share a note of gratitude and expressing how his experience two summers ago was foundational to his educational and career aspirations. Brian plans to pursue a career in biomedical research.
With his intentions set on the path ahead, and now in his senior year, Brian will have the support of PEF’s College Access Program Coordinator at KCAPA, Mel Kadar, to help him navigate the college selection, application, and financial aid process. We can’t wait to see where Brian’s passion and dedication will take him!
