Each year the IUPUI Alumni Council honors the Top 100 juniors and seniors on the IUPUI campus. Congratulations IUPUI LSAMP Scholar, Iyun Adebowale. She joined IN LSAMP in 2018 as a research scholar in Dr. Manicke’s lab. Dr. Tamiko Porter, IN LSAMP IUPUI Coordinator, “Iyun is a stellar example of someone who is motivated to perform in and out of the classroom. This honor shows how much success she’s had doing just that. We can’t wait to watch what she does next.”

We took time to connect with Iyun and learn about her journey. She shares how it felt to learn about her selection, “I was excited, it felt so surreal. I have always wanted to be part of the top 100 students and was happy when I heard I was chosen.”

We asked her to look back over her academic career and share with our audience what helped her reach this honor.  

Engage in Research: I worked in Dr. Manicke’s forensic chemistry research lab and presented at different conferences. Those conferences ranged from campus conferences such as the IUPUI annual graduate student conference and CRL summer research conference to larger conferences such as LSMRCE and the SACNAS 2019 conference in Honolulu, Hawaii.

These conferences helped develop my STEM experience because I was able to share what I did and talk to people who had similar interests as me. I was also able to learn from other people’s research and implement some of those ideas to my project. 

Connect with a Mentor: Dr. Porter helped me reach the Top 100. She was very helpful and provided me with a lot of information. She met with me to discuss plans and actions to take and she encouraged me to explore other options. Above all, she provided me with a lot of opportunities that helped me today. 

Advice for students: I wish I had known to ask questions, and pursue things that you are passionate and interested in. Going into college I was always focused on academics, which is important, but it is also important to be a well rounded student. It is okay to explore, change majors if need be, and get involved as best as you can. Lastly, communication is important, talk to people to help and if they cannot help you, they probably know someone who will. 

“Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.”― Benjamin Franklin