For Kaitlyn Kim, a class of 2025 Honors College graduate in biochemistry and molecular biology, peer mentorship and a sense of belonging were cornerstones of her undergraduate experience.
“The Honors College offered me a smaller community within the larger OSU community and became a place where I could not only find support, but also show up for other students,” she says.
Kaitlyn graduated from high school in Ashland, Oregon and came to Oregon State to pursue opportunities in both science and service. Majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology with minors in chemistry and music performance, she quickly discovered a passion for mentoring and supporting her peers, especially within rigorous STEM disciplines. For three years, she served as a Learning Assistant in the Principles of Biology series, where she helped facilitate agile thinking in small groups and foster a sense of belonging in challenging foundational courses. “I was able to support students’ educational needs and voices — to help them realize that anyone belongs in STEM,” she says.
She also spent two years as an Academic Learning Assistant, planning academic events and offering support in the residence halls, and most recently served as an undergraduate Teaching Assistant for a genetic biochemistry course. These roles, she says, gave her “an active role in students' lives through peer mentorship and helped others realize their potential and genuine interests.” That same drive to support and connect with others extended into her research. During her first year, Kaitlyn joined Dr. Kathy Magnusson’s lab at the Linus Pauling Institute, where she remained actively involved in multiple projects throughout her time at OSU. Her Honors thesis, Heterozygous 5xFAD Mice Exhibited Increased Fragmented Sleep at an Early Age, explored early sleep disruptions in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease.
