ASU Student Spotlight: Tyshawn Ferrell, Biology major

Tyshawn Ferrell, an Atlanta native, is a junior biology major at Albany State University. He is a member of the Scholar, Science, Technology, Engineer, and Mathematics (SSTEM) program funded by the National Science Foundation (SSTEM), RAM News, Men Advocates for Leadership, Excellence and Success (M.A.L.E.S), Florida Georgia Alliance for Minority (FGAMP), Phi Theta Kappa and the Alpha Kappa MU. He has been the recipient of the HOPE Scholarship, SSTEM Scholarship and the James Porter Scholarship. He was also awarded the Albany State University Prestigious Freshman Award for a yearly GPA of 3.50+. Ferrell is currently interning at the Flint RiverQuarium in Albany.

What is your major at Albany State University and what motivated you to learn more about that field?

 I am a biology major at Albany State University. I choose biology because of my interest in nature, but more recently I found out that I am interested in the field of Ecology.

 Why did you choose ASU?

I chose ASU because I always wanted to go to a HBCU. I chose this institution because I wanted to challenge myself to achieve greatness at a place that doesn’t get me out of my comfort zone.

Tell me about an internship or leadership role you have participated in and what that was like for you as a college student.

 I am currently interning at the Flint RiverQuarium, where I test for various chemicals in each of the facility’s exhibits filtration systems. It is challenging to balance work, course work and an active role on campus, but I continue to find the balance in any situation I am in.

What do you love most about you chosen field?

My goal in this field is to study the evolutionary background of key species that have high biotic potential in order to study those genes that support their survival.

 Who made the biggest impact on you at ASU?

 It would not be right to give one person the credit on my life here at ASU; I have made a family here that continue to inspire me to overcome any obstacle.

What are obstacles you’ve had to overcome to progress as a college student?

I’ve had to adapt to multiple tasks, such as working and studying, but the real challenge was looking in the mirror each morning and asking myself, “why am I here?” Each day I had to answer that question before I left my room.

What advice would you give to students with an interest in your field or at ASU?

Be yourself, someone will accept you for who you are and will gravitate to you eventually. Don’t be discourage that you’re not fitting in.