SSU alum making strides as a Medcat

Alumni of Shawnee State University are accomplishing amazing things every year. One such alumnus is Sydnie Jenkins, who is pursuing a Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of Cincinnati. Medical students at the university are known as Medcats, a reference to Cincinnati’s mascot, the bearcat.

Jenkins is a 24-year-old Lucasville native who attended Shawnee State from 2019-2022, majoring in biomedical sciences. She became fascinated with the medical field after shadowing local physicians, working as a dietary aide at Southern Ohio Medical Center and volunteering at a local hospice center.

“I really enjoyed interacting with people in need, and I knew the care I provided meant so much to me and the patients around me,” Jenkins said. She also referenced her mother, a dietitian, and her grandfather, a pharmacist, as early influences.

Shawnee State provided Jenkins with an exceptional pre-med education, including upper-level microbiology classes and an immersive cadaver laboratory class.

“I was able to know my natural sciences professors on a personal level,” Jenkins said, “and they really pushed me to be the best student I could be while I was at SSU.”

When the time came for Jenkins to apply for medical school, she received unconditional support from her professors. They wrote her letters of recommendation, helped perfect her personal statement and performed mock interviews with her.

“Even on the day of my interviews, I received texts of support and wishes of good luck from professors and fellow classmates,” Jenkins remembered.

During Jenkins’ time at SSU, she was on three different varsity sports teams, served as a resident assistant, worked in the financial aid office and as a science tutor and served on the e-board of multiple science clubs. At the University of Cincinnati, she currently serves on leadership boards, conducts neuromuscular research at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, coaches a cerebral palsy youth soccer team, and she will be presenting at her first national genetics conference this November.

After graduating from UC, Jenkins wants to complete a residency in physical medicine and rehab or neurology. She hopes to stay in Cincinnati to practice as an attending physician. Jenkins described her experience at Shawnee State University as very positive, and said she felt very prepared for medical school after graduating. She highlighted the opportunities she took at SSU in the form of sports, clubs, leadership roles and research.

“I loved my time at SSU,” Jenkins said. “It really is such a tight-knit community full of awesome people. If I could pick my undergrad again, I would pick SSU every time!”