October 09, 2007 -While most college students work in malls and offices during the summer, one Wesleyan student spent her break outdoors chasing bugs. Senior Breann Thompson, a senior from Ripley, WV, traveled all over West Virginia this summer interning with the State Bureau of Public Health.

“The government takes the threat of West Niles virus and other diseases very seriously,” Thompson said. “We had to take samples from all areas of the state to test for diseases.”

Thompson heard about the internship through the biology department at school. The program was set up by Dr. David Henzler, a 1981 Wesleyan graduate and the West Virginia State Public Health Veterinarian. Thomson had originally planned to work in the Washington D.C. area and had even interviewed for a couple of internships there. However, her mother preferred that she stay closer to home for the summer.

While she was somewhat disappointed about giving up the experience of working in D.C., she found a new opportunity with the State Bureau job. She drove an hour every day from her home in Ripley, WV to Charleston. Most every day, she would jump right back in a car and drive to a new part of the state.

“Our job consisted of collecting mosquitoes,” Thompson added. “After we collected these samples, we could take them back to the lab for testing.”

Thompson was one of only three students who were selected for the internship program. The others included a student from Barry University in Florida and fellow Wesleyan senior Megan Buckalew, a biology major from Charleston, WV.

On campus, Thompson’s schedule is one full of a variety of activities. In addition to her classes, she works as a lab assistant for the biology department. She is also a member of the concert chorale and serves as a vice president in her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta and the biology honorary, Beta Beta Beta.

While Thompson enjoyed her internship this summer, she remains undecided about her future plans. “Hopefully, the right path will find me soon,” she concluded.

WVWC Press Release