Ryan Jacobs will leave Penn State Abington in May with a degree in science, a passion for cellular biology research, and a world of confidence and prospects for the future. He credits much of his success to Abington faculty and his participation in Abington Undergraduate Research Activities (ACURA) because of the relationships and professional development opportunities it provides.

As Jacobs prepares to graduate, he wanted to encourage students in all majors to consider ACURA:

"Getting involved in undergraduate research is extremely important for science students. It provides experience and a solid addition to your resume or CV (curriculum vitae). It can help you to get a job after you graduate, a research position off campus, or reflect positively when applying for  graduate school like I will be doing."

"ACURA helps you develop relationships with Abington faculty, and you gain a new respect for a field of study that you wish to pursue."

"An experience like ACURA can lead to a strong letter of recommendation. One of the main reasons I was able to secure a research position at Fox Chase Cancer Center was because of letters of recommendation, including one from a professor I worked with on engineering mathematics research.

"ACURA is geared toward the students and for the students at Abington. It’s something you’re not going to find at many colleges."

To learn more about ACURA, go to http://www.abington.psu.edu/academics/undergraduate-research and https://www.facebook.com/PennStateAbington