JJ’s inaugural Mayo Diversity Blog: Issue 1: The Niceties, Thoughts, and WHAT?: Timberlake isn’t bringing sexy back—Scientists Are—one talk at a time!
Hi everyone. Since this is my first blog entry (of many) on this “Mayo Clinic Education and Diversity Blog, Three Shields, Many Perspectives”, I wanted to pass out some introductions, some niceties, some meet and greet information—well the most you can do online. My name is Joseph Jon Dolence (proud of my middle name—more maybe in later blogs) and I am finishing my first year at Mayo Graduate School in the Immunology track. I work in the Medina lab on early events in B cell development with a healthy mix of cellular and molecular techniques. In later blogs, I will surely talk about my research, classes, and other feelings I have about Mayo Clinic in general. I want to state here—These are my opinions, not necessarily those of the Clinic’s so don’t take what I say and run with it as Mayo’s position on something. They are mine. Another thing—I love going to Mayo Clinic for Graduate School—I can’t complain, the Clinic has given me a wonderful opportunity and I honestly feel most every day that I am living the dream. That might sound naïve and not callous to the fact that I have only been here for one year—but continued readers of this blog will know certain things about me—one of them is I take Tiger Woods approach to life (with my edits in parenthesis), he says, “I view my life in a way…I’ll explain it to you, OK? I want to take in every moment and appreciate everything. The greatest thing about tomorrow is, I will be better than I am today. And that’s how I look at my life. I will be better as a golfer (& researcher), I will be better as a person, I will be better as a father (son), and I will be better as a friend. That’s the beauty of tomorrow. There is no such thing as a setback. The lessons I learn today I will apply tomorrow, and I will be better.” That’s my philosophy to life. And you will no doubt see that attitude sprinkled on the pages of this blog over and over.
I might get political on the pages of this. I might talk religion. I will talk sports. I will obviously talk about school, education, Mayo, and anything science based. Just don’t ask me about X-ray crystallography or NMR. Nothing is off limits. Well—as long using vulgar language is avoided and the Biggs at Mayo allow it. I speak from the heart honestly about how I feel—you will get my spin on anything I deem worthy enough to talk about. The point of this blog is to expose the three shields to the world in hopefully a way they haven’t before. Mayo has so much tradition and prestige, and I have the role through this medium to show Mayo to the world.
That being said, I think I have introduced myself and the concepts behind this well enough to go to my first issue I thought of while listening to a lecture in Cell Bio or Genetics last quarter…or a seminar, I can’t remember—all I know is that I came up with this idea that JT (Justin Timberlake) isn’t bringing sexy back, scientist are. I know this is like one of these, WHAT?, moments—but I will explain…it seems that in today’s scientific community, anytime someone has a chance to slip in sexy or a word like, provocative, promiscuous, or even in today’s seminar, the speaker expanded “BS” to that expletive. It makes me laugh, but I am wondering when this started? When did science and its countless researchers make a conscious effort to spice up a lecture with these words? You know what my goal is? Use the word lascivious in a scientific journal. If I can pull that off, you can tip the hat to me. If not, I guess I will just have to settle for less provocative words such as sexy or promiscuous. Maybe the answer is that since most in the scientific community don’t look the part (as Justin does), we need to throw these in to wake up those sleeping, bored out of their minds, or to remind ourselves that, yes, we are cool enough still to throw this hip words around. I know one thing though—you have everyone’s attention when you infuse these types of adjectives into a lecture. So at least for that nanosecond, everyone is listening and to them, the world is sexy, perfect, and wonderful.
Have a great day!
Till next time,
Yours truly,
JJ
Another quote to live by—one of the fave’s on JJ’s list:
“Love life, engage in it, give it all you’ve got. Love it with a passion, because life truly does give back, many times over, what you put into it.” Maya Angelou.
Tags: grad school, issue 1, jj
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May 1, 2008 at 10:29 am
So JJ how do you plan on bring “Sexy” science back? Are you working on something new, novel and in your words “lascivious” in your lab?
May 1, 2008 at 11:13 am
I am working on something new, sexy, and lascivious, but as many things of that nature, I will keep them undercover until the proper time. Isn’t that what you do in any proper relationship–between man and science is no different?
September 10, 2008 at 2:20 am
Hey JJ I was wondering where you went to undergrad? I am about to apply to the graduate school for the immunology tract as well and I was wondering if you knew the average gpa and gre to get in. I am a 3.82 with a 1310 gre and I was wondering if I would be a competitive applicant. Any help would be awesome.
September 11, 2008 at 9:17 am
Hey Zac,
My name is Jess…I am also a grad student here and a part of the Graduate Student Association (GSA). I think you would be a great applicant here at Mayo. Mayo is a very competetive school and looks for well rounded people as well as previous research experience. The Ph.D program is looking for good grades and GRE scores however are also looking for research experience (a big factor), personality, and determination. They pay really big attention to your personal statement and your letters of recommendations. Once you get accepted for an interview its all up to you to show us (yes, I said us…the grad school gets feedback from the GSA and other students during interview weekend about YOU), and then gets feedback from your interviewees (faculty, around 5). You can check out the website http://www.mayo.edu to get more info. Also if there are any other questions let us know!!!P.S You should apply!
September 11, 2008 at 10:55 am
Zac, I did my undergraduate work at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN. You see, you don’t have to go to a big name school to succeed. Believe me there. Being a competitive applicant is more than GRE and grades. If I was to put a checklist of important characteristics, it would go like this:
1. Research experience
2. Personal statement
3. Grades and GRE scores.
4. Personality, interview, and fit in the department
You need all four to be strong in the applicant pool. You will be competitive, trust me, in the grades and GRE scores. For perspective, my GPA was a 3.90 with a gre of 1150—and I was accepted. So you have that part of the application on ice as they say, don’t worry about that. The next part of it for you is whether your personal statement is strong and what kind of experience you have in research. If you have research experience and a great personal statement, with those grades and test scores, I am sure you will get an interview (that goes for any grad school—not just Mayo). Once you are there for the interview, you need to prove to them that you belong here and your not just strong on paper. Much of that is just letting your personality come through and interacting with them to show that you fit into the department. I mean if you don’t like a place, it will come off no matter what…so just relax, have fun, and enjoy the interview process…In terms of Mayo, you sound like a great applicant with what you have told me, just get a good personal statement put together, and if you have research experience, all you have to do is get through the interview, which for most people is more of a formality. And yes, the graduate students and the GSA (Grad school association—which I am the Immunology tract rep for this coming year) will be able to put in their two cents along the way, so again, fitting in, being yourself, and having fun on the interview weekend is crucial to getting in—because the point of that interview is just to see your not a paper applicant, you are a real applicant who should be here (instead of somewhere else)…So thanks for asking, and you sound like a great candidate, apply, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask away.
So I know you got this, please post something…I hope to hear from you.
Good Luck!
JJ
September 14, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Awesome. Thanks so much for all your help. I do have significant research experience in a nephrology lab and I am working on my second publication which is in the process of being submitted to the journal of experimental biology and medicine. I have gone to a smaller school (Murray State University) but I am glad to see that Mayo gets the grad students involved in the selection process. Thank you so much for all your help and my application will be in very soon.
Zac
October 24, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Hey JJ I was wondering where you went to undergrad? I am about to apply to the graduate school for the immunology tract as well and I was wondering if you knew the average gpa and gre to get in. I am a 3.82 with a 1310 gre and I was wondering if I would be a competitive applicant. Any help would be awesome.
October 24, 2008 at 5:21 pm
admin thanks
October 25, 2008 at 10:50 am
ehliyet, I refer you to what I said to “Zac” above here on 9/11/2008.
I did my undergraduate work at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN. You see, you don’t have to go to a big name school to succeed. Believe me there. Being a competitive applicant is more than GRE and grades. If I was to put a checklist of important characteristics, it would go like this:
1. Research experience
2. Personal statement
3. Grades and GRE scores.
4. Personality, interview, and fit in the department
You need all four to be strong in the applicant pool. You will be competitive, trust me, in the grades and GRE scores. For perspective, my GPA was a 3.90 with a gre of 1150—and I was accepted. So you have that part of the application on ice as they say, don’t worry about that. The next part of it for you is whether your personal statement is strong and what kind of experience you have in research. If you have research experience and a great personal statement, with those grades and test scores, I am sure you will get an interview (that goes for any grad school—not just Mayo). Once you are there for the interview, you need to prove to them that you belong here and your not just strong on paper. Much of that is just letting your personality come through and interacting with them to show that you fit into the department. I mean if you don’t like a place, it will come off no matter what…so just relax, have fun, and enjoy the interview process…In terms of Mayo, you sound like a great applicant with what you have told me, just get a good personal statement put together, and if you have research experience, all you have to do is get through the interview, which for most people is more of a formality. And yes, the graduate students and the GSA (Grad school association—which I am the Immunology tract rep for this coming year) will be able to put in their two cents along the way, so again, fitting in, being yourself, and having fun on the interview weekend is crucial to getting in—because the point of that interview is just to see your not a paper applicant, you are a real applicant who should be here (instead of somewhere else)…So thanks for asking, and you sound like a great candidate, apply, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask away.
So I know you got this, please post something…I hope to hear from you.
Good Luck!
JJ
PS. The application deadline I believe is December 1, so I would get those in as fast as you can, seeing you only have one month left and you don’t want anything left to chance. I hope I was helpful.
Have a great day!
September 14, 2009 at 6:36 pm
your blog is great really!! I have never seen a website like this!!!
October 6, 2009 at 11:49 pm
ding mentorship and education. Personally, I beleive any student who has had the opportunity to do a fellowship, internship, rotations, or receive their degree (masters, doctorate, nurseing, etc.) understands how dedicated the professors are here at Mayo. This of course is the 3 shields concept: Patient Care, Education, and Research!!