I served as the Neuroscience Program’s student representative to the Dean’s Student Advisory Committee (DSAC) from 2003-2004. Serving on DSAC was a tremendous opportunity to gain experience in the administrative aspect of university life. DSAC is a small group of undergraduate and graduate students that meets regularly with the dean of The College of Natural Science. Every student at these meetings has an equal chance to participate in discussions about university affairs, and to voice concerns to the dean. I felt confident that the dean was interested in the concerns of every student at the meetings. We also received regular progress reports about the College of Natural Science. I felt the progress reports were the most rewarding aspect of DSAC because they provided the students with an understanding of how the university functioned, how decisions were made, and to observe university problems from the perspective of the faculty, students and administration. As a student who will desire a job in academia someday, I feel that the DSAC committee was an invaluable experience that has made me a more competitive job applicant.

-Robert Drolet