Coming Home to Teach: A Transformative Experience at St. Lawrence
by Sarah Yablonski, M.S., Neuroscience Ph.D. Candidate
My time as an undergraduate at St. Lawrence University was deeply shaped by the incredible dedication and support of my professors. They went beyond delivering lectures — they cared about us as students, young adults, and individuals navigating our personal and professional growth. My undergraduate advisor, Dr. Ana Estevez, remains a mentor I trust and reach out to for advice to this day. The mentorship I received from the faculty at St. Lawrence not only shaped me as a person but also solidified my decision to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience. Their influence inspired me to dream of giving back by becoming a teacher who motivates and supports the next generation of scientists.
To achieve this goal, I needed experience teaching at the undergraduate level. I was fortunate to return to St. Lawrence University for this experience, thanks to an invitation from Dr. Estevez. There, I taught in Introduction to Neuroscience Laboratory and Current Topics in Neuroscience (a journal club class). This opportunity was made possible by a Career Exploration Grant from myHub at the University of Rochester. The grant covered my travel expenses, laboratory preparation, and enrollment in a summer course on teaching techniques, enabling me to be well-prepared for this incredible opportunity.
In the Introduction to Neuroscience Laboratory, I introduced students to electrophysiology, a cornerstone technique in neuroscience that I had honed as a teaching assistant for NSC 203 at the University of Rochester. At St. Lawerence, principles of electrophysiology are frequently taught using simulated labs, and the laboratory I ran gave students an opportunity to learn via hands-on experimentation. It was incredibly fulfilling to help students demystify a concept that can often feel abstract. For the Current Topics in Neuroscience class, I presented work from my own thesis and shared a publication where I was an author. The students expressed excitement about learning science directly from the scientist involved in the research—a unique and meaningful connection. Beyond the classroom, I had the chance to meet with students one-on-one, discuss their career aspirations, and share my own journey. These conversations were some of the most rewarding moments of my experience.
Together, this experience solidified my passion for teaching and affirmed my desire to inspire others through education. I am deeply grateful to both the University of Rochester and St. Lawrence University, as well as the mentors, students, and colleagues who made this opportunity possible. Their support has fueled my commitment to fostering the growth of future scientists, just as my professors once did for me.
Katherine Bognanno | 3/10/2025
