Student Experience

There are many ways to get involved in Calvin’s biology community and gain experience in biology outside the traditional classroom setting. From faculty-led research opportunities to biology-related student organizations, you can deepen your study in the biology program at Calvin. Learn to love the intricacies of God's creation.

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  Phage research

  • Calvin’s biology department offers a special research program for a select group of first-year students. You’ll gather bacterial viruses called phages, isolate them, and analyze their unique genetic code.
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  Undergraduate student research

  • Beyond the research you'll do in your biology courses at Calvin, you can apply to assist professors with paid research during the summer or throughout the year. Opportunities are available in every biological discipline, from human health to botany and environmental stewardship.
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  Internships

  • Find an internship in the Grand Rapids area during the school year. During the summer, travel to other exciting places like national parks and research institutes to do paid internships. You can receive course credit for your internship, and it may lead to a great job after graduation.
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  Student employment

  • Each year the biology department employs dozens of students as laboratory assistants, research assistants, biology web writers, and more.
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  Community involvement and environmental stewardship opportunities

  • Calvin's biology department is deeply involved in environmental stewardship and restoration projects. Find opportunities to work on ecosystem restoration projects, rescue native plants, plant rain gardens, eradicate invasive species, and more.
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  Off-campus programs

  • Let biology—and Calvin’s biology professors—take you around the world to study diverse ecosystems, from the Great Lakes forest of northern Michigan to the volcanoes of Hawaii.