Ross W. Hilliard, MD, Resident, General Internal Medicine
The Warren Alpert School of Medicine of Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital

A past Rhodes Summer Plus participant, Ross Hilliard graduated from Rhodes College in 2007. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2011 with a Doctor of Medicine degree and is currently a resident in Internal Medicine at Brown University.

"My experience at St. Jude was one of the most formative of my time at Rhodes College. It gave me the chance not only to build skills in basic science research and more advanced techniques in structural biology, but also provided an opportunity to learn how to approach the ever growing, complex world of medical research. The three years I spent working at St. Jude have served as the foundation for research that I have been involved in both in Medical School and now in Residency. The partnership between Rhodes and St. Jude is truly a one-of-a-kind opportunity for students, and I am still proud that I was able to take advantage of it."

Alexander Tong, MD/PhD Candidate
Medical Scientist Training Program-Case Western Reserve University

Alex Tong graduated from Rhodes College in 2011 with a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. As an undergraduate, Alex was at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as a Summer Plus Fellow and subsequently a Pediatric Oncology Education Fellow in the Taosheng Chen Lab, where he completed his Honors Research Thesis and fell in love with bench-to-bedside pediatric oncology research. He is currently working in the MD/PhD program at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

“The St. Jude Summer Plus Program was the opportunity of a lifetime for me to actively participate in and contribute to cutting edge scientific research as an undergraduate, at the earliest stages of my career. Through the program and the terrific mentors I worked with in the Chen Lab, I discovered that I didn’t have to settle for doing just the research or just the clinical practice, as St. Jude is a remarkable place where researchers can quite literally walk down the hallway to meet and be inspired by the patients whose very diseases they’re working on in the lab. I quickly realized I wanted to interweave both my basic science and clinical research interests, seeking to bridge the gap between the two worlds. Ultimately, my Summer Plus experience drove me to pursue training at Case Western’s MD/PhD program, where I am furthering my dream of performing the kind of bench-to-bedside pediatric cancer research for which St. Jude is world renowned, as well as my dream of giving hope to those courageous patients who are waiting for the cure.

I think the St. Jude Summer Plus Program really sets Rhodes apart in that its students have an unparalleled opportunity to receive mentorship from principal investigators at the top of their field. The program is also in close contact with the St. Jude Pediatric Oncology Education (POE) Program, so Rhodes students are generously invited to the Lunch & Learn lecture series and can network with other college, medical, and pharmacy students from across the nation. The way I see it, what better way is there to know whether this is the right career choice for you than to work with research mentors who are giants in the scientific world and to live, breath, and learn alongside fellow students who may someday be your professional colleagues? For me, the Summer Plus program inspired my decision to apply to dual degree graduate programs and built the foundation for my budding scientific career, and I hope it will continue to do the same for generations of Rhodes students to come.”

Riley Pace
Christian Brothers University (Bachelor of Science in Chemistry student), Dr. Clinton Stewart’s lab

"My placement at St Jude has been the most valuable experience of my academic career to date, and has provided a foundation for further study and continuance in research. I enjoyed every minute of my placement and was still excited at the end by the caliber of research and the excellence of the facilities, as well as the friendliness and willingness to help of all the people at St Jude - it really is a unique and amazing place to work and learn!"

Mark Frost
University of Bath program, Dr. Jie Zheng's lab

“My involvement at St. Jude and in the Stewart laboratory has been one of the best experiences of my life. While my internship provided invaluable research experience and scientific knowledge, being a part of an institution solely dedicated to helping children has been the most meaningful part. My time at St. Jude has allowed me to fully appreciate the top-notch facilities, the faculty compromised of some of the best minds in cancer research, and the overwhelmingly warm atmosphere present there. It has truly been a blessing to be able to work at such an incredible institution.”

Mark Frost with Dr. Jie Zheng