… will graduate from Kalamazoo College in 2017.

The Los Angeles native loves the city of Kalamazoo, especially the downtown community activities that attract hundreds of people to events like BluesFest and RibFest.

Aaron’s major is biology and he’ll earn a minor in Chinese.

He chose K for many reasons, first among them was the quality of its MCAT preparation (Medical College Admission Test). After graduation Aaron plans to attend med school and specialize in cardiology.

Aaron studied abroad in China, where he also completed an internship at an international hospital in the city of Beijing.

For his Senior Individualized Project, Aaron is exploring the way a microscopic round worm (nematode) that is pathogenic to insect larvae uses bacteria to keep other nematodes away from the host it has invaded: germ warfare on an arthropod battlefield, literally. It’s cool research and painstaking work…

…and Aaron “lets off steam” by playing lots of pick-up basketball and “rock” climbing at the nearby climbing gym, Climb Kalamazoo. He loves the physical and cerebral challenge of bouldering’s shorter, more puzzling, routes.  Aaron has fulfilled his physical education credit with three classes in climbing, one in hoops, and his fifth in volleyball.

He also serves as an officer in the student organization, Young Men of Color, one of more than 70 on campus.

What makes K great for Aaron? The open curriculum and the close-knit community. The former makes space for some delightful surprises (like Aaron’s sophomore seminar on Chinese food and culture). The latter leads to relationships Aaron knows will long endure—with teachers like Associate Professor of Biology Ann Fraser, he says, “one of the most influential persons in my life.”