Madison Studstill ('19)
Master's of Health Science Student, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
At Union University, Madison Studstill (’19) was prepared academically and spiritually for her graduate studies at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland. Studstill graduated with a biology degree from Union and is now in an accelerated one-year program at Johns Hopkins to gain her master’s of health science in biochemistry and molecular biology.
Originally from Collierville, Tennessee, Studstill came to Union on a soccer scholarship. As a freshman, Studstill said she was not confident in her faith, but her experiences in the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and as captain of the women’s soccer team her junior year helped her open up and grow.
As an undergraduate, Studstill was not sure if she wanted to pursue medical school or research after college. Her advisers encouraged her to apply for graduate school, and she decided to apply to Johns Hopkins, not expecting to be accepted. She thought, “I’m just going to throw my hat into the best graduate school in the country. Why not?”
After she had been accepted to several schools and had settled on attending Ole Miss, she found out she was accepted to Johns Hopkins. She and her mother visited Baltimore, and Studstill was impressed with the faculty and decided she wanted to study there.
At Union, Studstill conducted her undergraduate research project with Esther Choi, assistant professor of biology, on how yeast infections in pregnant women can affect neonatal or premature babies. Studstill discovered a passion for neonatal babies and emergency medicine. At Johns Hopkins, she is currently doing research with an OB/GYN and working on a certificate in maternal and child health. Once she gains her master’s degree, Studstill plans to attend medical school and become a neonatal doctor who also conducts research.
Union gave Studstill a good academic foundation for her graduate studies, she said. After talking with her classmates who studied in larger schools, Studstill is thankful for Union’s small class sizes and close relationships with professors.
“Union gave me that baseline knowledge and one-on-one attention that bigger schools wouldn’t give you,” Studstill said. “The professors actually know you. You’re not just a number.”
Union also prepared Studstill to stand firm in her beliefs, especially concerning abortion. Johns Hopkins is a secular institution, and most of Studstill’s peers and colleagues are pro-choice. Studstill’s time at Union gave her the courage to stand up and respectfully share her beliefs on the value of human life and the science that supports her beliefs.
“Union was definitely the best place for me to grow as a Christ-follower, a confident woman and an academic scholar before being placed in a pressure-filled environment,” Studstill said. “I couldn’t be more thankful for every faculty member and student who poured into me over those four years.”