April 29, 2017 Editors note: This is part of a series of profiles for spring 2017 commencement. See more graduates here. Ashton Grove knew early on what to focus on in college. Volunteering with the Phoenix Zoo while in high school helped steer Grove toward studying biology, and working with animals in some capacity became a goal that was clearly within reach. Ashton Grove is graduating from the ASU School of Life Sciences with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. After graduation, Grove will continue to gain experience working with exotic animals. Photo courtesy of Ashton Grove Download Full Image However, embracing change and new experiences at Arizona State University became an important part of college life. Many unexpected opportunities arose and they began to embrace new roles in society and on campus roles that would push political boundaries, define personal goals, and even foster new friendships with trusted faculty members. Grove, from Glendale, Arizona, will be graduating with a bachelor's in biology from the School of Life Sciences. Question: Were you facing any specific challenges before you came to ASU, and did your college experience change those challenges in some way? Answer: Before I came to ASU, I … Continue reading →

CHENNAI: The Madras high court has ordered that all Class XII students who wrote the Biology examination on March 31, and attempted question number 16 in Section A of Part II, should be awarded one mark each, as all answers for the multiple-choice type question were incorrect. Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana, passing orders on a batch of petitions, asked the director of government examinations to take necessary steps to award one mark each for students, and/or recompute the marks if the evaluation is already done. "In the interest of the career of students, marks have to be awarded. Though that should be only an exception, unfortunately, the exception has become a rule. Therefore, the authorities have to be careful in setting the question papers," said Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana. Petitioners said that according to the text book, the correct answer for the question was 85% to 90%, but the multiple choice answers did not have this right answer at all. When it was pointed out to authorities, they said students ought to have ticked the 'most suitable' answer which was 80 or 90%. They said no mark could be awarded for those who had not ticked option (a). However, the judge pointed … Continue reading →

The Academics for All committee recognized Ryan Vrieswyk, son of Tom and Debbie Vrieswyk, as this weeks Summit Award Winner. Vrieswyk is a senior at Sheridan High School and has maintained a 3.804 GPA while taking five Advanced Placement classes this year: biology, calculus, U.S. history, physics and psychology. He said science, especially biology, is his favorite subject in school. My passion for biology stems primarily from my desire to be a surgeon,Vrieswyk said.I am challenged by it because no matter how much I learn, there is always more information and knowledge to be had. The intricate inner workings of the human body never cease to amaze me, so I continue to challenge myself with the pursuit of knowledge, in order to hopefully apply it in medical school and my career. The aspirations for a career in the medical field were fueled this past summer when Vrieswyk attended a nomination and merit-based medical internship in Boston. Vrieswyk is very active outside the classroom as well. For the past four years, he has been actively involved in First Baptist Churchs youth group and K-Life youth ministries where he has recently taken on the challenge of being a group leader. He also … Continue reading →