Gitano Hobson is a biochemistry major and an EschLEAD scholar currently working in Dr. Ryan Driskell’s Fibroblast and Skin Regeneration Laboratory in the School of Molecular Biosciences.
The EschLEAD (Learn, Experience, Apply, Deliver) program is pioneering initiative — open to WSU undergraduate students from all backgrounds, experiences, and academic disciplines — designed to provide undergraduates with immersive, hands-on learning in real-world research environments in the college’s leading labs. EschLEAD combines skill-building, real-world applications, and mentorship to empower students to explore, grow, and create their own paths to success.
What are your plans after graduation, and how is the program helping you prepare for them?
After completing my undergraduate degree, I plan on attending graduate school. This program has helped me prepare for this by providing me with invaluable lab experience and the opportunity to work on projects that interest me.
How has EschLEAD helped you develop new skills that are valuable for your future career?
EschLEAD has helped me develop skills that will be valuable in my future career by introducing me to research and giving me projects that I can hopefully turn into things that will propel my career.
How do you see the EschLEAD program shaping your future career goals?
I see the EschLEAD program shaping my future career goals by helping me figure out what interests me in science. Before working on projects in an EschLEAD lab, I wasn’t sure what kind of science I wanted to do in the future, but now I’m more confident in what interests me.
What advice would you give to future students interested in undergraduate research and/or joining the EschLEAD program?
I would advise students interested in undergraduate research to just go for it. Some students may be anxious or think they don’t know enough about research, but that’s what it is about. Undergraduate research and the people in the lab will help teach and show you what you need to know.
How has your involvement in the program connected you with other students, faculty, alumni, or professionals in the field?
My involvement in the program has connected me with other people in the field by providing and telling me about opportunities to talk with them that I either normally wouldn’t have or just might not have known about.