Workforce development program offers college students opportunities

Christian Readus

Christian Readus, a native of Harvest, Alabama, is a junior studying chemistry at Alabama A&M University. Like many college students, Christian is exploring what career paths he might pursue after college. In 2021, he applied and was accepted to HudsonAlpha’s BioTrain Internship Program.

Christian spent the summer as a BioTrain Intern in the Myers lab. The Myers lab studies neurological diseases and disorders. “What surprised me about HudsonAlpha’s BioTrain Internship program is how engaged they wanted the interns to be,” said Christian. “I was in the Myers lab for my internship, and they wanted me in every meeting to further expose me to the type of discussions that they have each day.”

A key component of the internship experience for Christian was BioTrain Boot Camp, a one week training opportunity offered to the interns. Each of the interns participates in the training to learn lab safety, pipetting, basic computational biology principles and professional development. The Boot Camp and ongoing professional development sessions during the internship also give interns an opportunity to connect and network with each other.

“HudsonAlpha showed me the benefits of research and how it can actually change lives,” shared Christian. “My research was in Alzheimer’s Disease, and I learned that there are many families that are affected by this disease. If our research could be a stepping stone to a cure, it would make all the hard work worth it.”

In addition to his studies, Christian is heavily involved on campus as the treasurer for the AAMU Honors Program, treasurer for the AAMU Chemistry Club and an AAMU COVID-19 Vaccine Initiative ambassador. He is also a proud Eagle Scout from First Missionary Baptist Church Troop 7102.

“Christian is just one example of the excellent students who participate in the BioTrain program,” said Michele Morris, workforce development lead for Educational Outreach at HudsonAlpha. “We are preparing these students to not only excel in the classroom but also in the workforce and in their careers.”

“HudsonAlpha exposed me to a side of research that I didn’t know was there. Doing something that can change someone’s life for the better is simply amazing. HudsonAlpha gave me the opportunity to explore another career option that I can pursue after I graduate,” said Readus.

During the internship, Christian was awarded a prestigious scholarship from the Executive Leadership Council. The Executive Leadership Council is an organization whose mission is to increase the number of successful Black executives, domestically and internationally, by adding value to their development, leadership, and philanthropic endeavors across the lifecycle of their careers. The scholarship applications required multiple essays, a high G.P.A, and a life dedicated to service.

Applications for the 2022 BioTrain Internship Program are now open. For more information and to apply, visit hudsonalpha.org/biotrain.