Sara Wagner made an important discovery while taking a class in animal behavior at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. She found out she loved doing research.
“At times it can be hard, like going into the lab at 10 p.m. on a Saturday night after an all-day track meet,” she said. “However, when the project is over and the results are analyzed, a significant result reassures that all your hard work and dedication paid off.”
Research is a big part of Sara's academic life at Ship. She has been working with Dr. Robert L. Hale since her junior year, studying heart rate variability in correlation to binge drinking. Last summer, she completed an internship at Penn State Hershey College of Medicine, where she participated in a research project evaluating the effects of diabetes in rats.
Sara’s experiences at Shippensburg include much more than spending time in the lab. She is a member of Psi Chi, the Psychology Club and United Campus Ministries. She also participates in the heptathlon as a member of the track team, and, last summer, completed a triathlon. She has gone to North Carolina on two separate mission trips to repair houses affected by hurricanes and floods.
After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school to pursue a doctorate in behavioral neuroscience or neuroscience.