This week’s Campus Celebrity is Reina Ransom, a graduating senior Biology major from Stafford, Virginia. On campus, Reina is the president of the Student Recruitment Team where she loves to give back to her HBCU and encourage others to do the same. She is also a member of the Undergraduate Student National Dental Association (USNDA), and a member of the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students (MAPS). After graduation she plans on going to dental school, and is in the process of choosing from many acceptances from schools like VCU, UMD and UPenn.
HC: What was the process like applying for dental school, what are some of the key factors that determine if you get selected?
RR: One of the biggest things is having a strong DAT (dental admissions test) score and, of course, having a strong GPA. That’s what’s really gonna get you in the door and eventually lead to getting an interview. Once you get an interview (the last determining factor), you just make sure to show your personality and that you are a well rounded person. I also participated in a lot of summer programs while in college at schools like Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) as well as a program at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. So, with these different programs I was able to take graduate level courses and gain great experience to add to my resume.
HC: Have you committed to a a dental school yet?
RR: I am currently committed to VCU, but I recently got into UNC Chapel Hill and received a scholarship last monday. So, now I don’t know where I’m going at the current moment *laughs*. I’m back and forth between choosing either VCU or UNC Chapel Hill. I have a week and a half to decide, to make my final decision, so we’ll see.
HC: What are the steps during and after dental school (certification, another degree)?
RR: So, I’ll graduate with a doctorate in dental surgery. Following dental school, I do want to complete some kind of general practice residency to gain more skills and then eventually work at a health clinic or do private practice. After doing that for some years, I want to eventually transition into becoming a dental educator.
HC: When did you start to get into dentistry? Did you have influences back at home?
RR: I’ve always been a person who knew what they wanted to do even though my career path has changed so much. I originally wanted to teach history, and as I got older I realized how boring that was. I was also interested in business and liked the entrepreneurial aspect of that. I later found an interest in biology and wanted to be a medical doctor. My uncle is a dentist with his own practice, so I was able to watch and observe what he did. Seeing that all of my interests wrapped up into one were related to working in dentistry, it led me to the decision to choosing that career path.
HC: Do you have any fears going into dental school, and do you feel like Hampton has prepared you for after graduation?
RR: I think Hampton has prepared me to an extent, but I also credit my summer classes at VCU and UNC for really preparing me. Over time, by doing these programs, I was able to gain more confidence in my skills. Being at Hampton with so many ambitious black people has been such a great experience, so going back to being the minority again is going to be a transition.
HC: What’s your take on black women in S.T.E.M.?
RR: I think the key to being a black women in STEM is having support. While working in these different fields it does get hard, so it’s important to find girls you can connect with while encouraging each other at the same time.
HC: Now that you are a senior and about to graduate, what would you tell your freshman year self?
RR: I would tell my freshman year self to calm down. Coming in as a freshman, I was focused on so much and took a lot of things way too seriously. At the end of the day, I came in with the goal and got it accomplished, so everything worked out in the end.
HC: What have you enjoyed the most about your Hampton experience?
RR: The friends I’ve made have been the best part. Meeting so many like-minded people who look like me has been a beautiful thing.
HC: When you aren’t deep in a book studying, what do you like to do in your free time?
RR: I would definitely have to say trying new food places. My friends and I like to visit a lot of cool restaurants and brunch spots.
HC: Do you have any motivational quotes that keep you going?
RR: “Once you get to the top, leave the ladder.” It means that once you accomplish your goals, leave the ladder to help others accomplish their goals as well.
If you want to know more about Reina and see her journey to dental school, be sure to follow her on instagram at @studoc_reinran and twitter at @thatgirlran.