Biology Major

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About the Major

Biology is the study of life itself, in all its many forms. As a biology major at Elon, students explore this subject through a specialized, hands-on combination of classroom instruction, laboratory research and field experience. The focus is on science as a process, not merely a collection of established facts.

Jobs in Biology

Health care professional
Biomedical researcher
Educator
Field biologist
Biotechnologist

Past Elon Biology Internships

Duke University Medical Center
LabCorp
Ocean Mammal Institute
National Institute of Environmental Health Science
North Carolina Zoological Park

Related Majors

Doctor brings hope and health care to Haiti

Ellison Adrien, an Elon graduate who majored in biology and is dressed in his Elon graduation garb, points to his diploma.

From a young age, Elisson Adrien felt compelled to become a doctor in the hopes of alleviating the daily suffering he saw in his home country of Haiti. Today, he is fulfilling his dream, working to bring modern medicine to those who need it most.

“Since I was a little kid, I wanted to be a doctor,” he said. “At first, I was just curious and found it fascinating to be able to help someone. But as I was growing up, I also found it very rewarding to help others. My curiosity persisted and after seeing many young people dying in Haiti, I was eager to know what was wrong with them medically and what I could do to alleviate their pain and suffering.”

Growing up, Adrien, who lived in a remote farming village that was largely abandoned by its people due to a lack of resources, was filled with dreams and aspirations to go to the university in Port-au-Prince and become a doctor. In 2010, after an earthquake destroyed much of Port-au-Prince and killed more than 300,000 people, he was left with few opportunities to attend college. But an American he had met multiple times in Haiti — an Elon graduate — offered to advocate for him at the North Carolina university.

Adrien was ultimately accepted at Elon and received a four-year grant to cover the cost of tuition. During his time there, the biology major earned a grant from the Center for Research on Global Engagement to research the medicinal uses of plants in rural Haiti. He credits that experience with reinforcing his desire to pursue a career in the medical field. As he read more on the topic and conducted focus groups and interviews with Haitian peasants, he gained more understanding of the fragility of the health care system in his home country.

This opportunity that Elon gave me fueled my passion for the medical field.

Following graduation from Elon, Adrien returned to Haiti, and in September 2017, he enrolled in medical school at Quisqueya University in Port-au-Prince. Despite multiple challenges, including having to dodge gang violence to get to class, Adrien realized his childhood dream in September 2022 when he completed medical school. Today, he works as a physician at a general health clinic in the rural area of Hinche, central Haiti. (Though it’s more like volunteer work: During his first year after graduating medical school, he’s required to serve the government for a year without pay.)

The conditions that Adrien faces in Haiti are difficult: There is no state-run or private health care system, so most of those he treats struggle to pay for care and end up turning down tests or prescriptions because of the cost. Even when they can afford the medicine, sometimes it’s not available because of gang violence in regions connecting Hinche and the capital city of Port-au-Prince. And with the violence in the capital getting worse every day, Adrien is seeing more patients who have fled only with the clothes on their backs and have needs that go beyond health care — including food, lodging and schooling for their children.

But Adrien said he believes the experiences he received at Elon — including undergraduate requirements that encourage hands-on learning, including service trips and internships — prepared him for his journey. As a student, he traveled to Long Island, New York, after Hurricane Sandy to help with relief efforts; worked in Washington, D.C., helping those with hunger and homelessness; and assisted those with disabilities in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

“During these service trips, I always had Haiti in mind because I knew I wanted to come back and serve the Haitian people at some time, and those realities were the ones Haitians face every day,” he said.

He also credits Elon for helping him become a better communicator by giving him opportunities to present his research, for example at the Spring Undergraduate Research Forum.

“That whole experience starting with planning the research, doing the literature review, communicating with mentors and peers, and talking to research participants contributed immensely in building my communication skills and being able to do research on medical topics to better communicate with others,” he said. “As a doctor, I must be a great communicator to my colleagues and my patients and explain complex concepts in a way that everyone can understand.”

Did You Know?

Students can earn a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree with a major in biology or a minor concentration in biology for students majoring in another discipline. The BA is also offered with a teaching licensure. Within the BS degree, students must choose among three tracks: Integrative Biology, Foundations for Medical Sciences or Biotechnology/Molecular Biology.
Housed in the McMichael Science Center, Elon’s Department of Biology provides students with access to the latest technology including a DNA sequencer and high-end microscopes (fluorescent, scanning electron). It also is home to Elon’s modern greenhouse facility and herbarium.
Biology majors at Elon are encouraged to pursue research projects and present their findings at institutional, regional and national conferences such as the National Conference on Undergraduate Research.