By Natalie Byers

When Aidan Davis initially decided to commit to Ball State, he based his decision on the faculty members of the Departments of Biology and Chemistry who offered research opportunities and personal connections for undergraduate students. However, Davis didn’t know just how true that would be for him. Now in his third year with numerous research labs and higher positions under his belt, including a seat on the Ball State Board of Trustees, Davis has found himself in a world of new opportunities he may have never discovered if he’d committed anywhere else. 

Rising Up the Ladder 

Davis is a double-major in Biochemistry and Premedical Preparation with plans to become a physician post-education. Both of these majors require extensive experience in the Departments of Biology and Chemistry, but thankfully for him, they are filled with countless faculty members who have provided him with vast research opportunities.  

Davis’ research and leadership skills were built in his freshman year when he was recruited for a microbiology research lab. During this lab, he also secured a position as a teaching assistant in anatomy and physiology labs for the next two semesters. Davis’ teaching assistantship led to a role in an organic chemistry lab run by Dr. Sundeep Rayat, the professor who’d originally taught his first organic chemistry course. This research ultimately led him to Dr. Robert Sammelson, who helped support his initial desire to sit on the Board of Trustees. He, Dr. Rayat, and faculty members John Herr and Kim Lee all wrote Davis letters of recommendation.  

Davis is incredibly grateful for everyone who has helped him along the way both to and through Ball State. “I will always have these amazing people in my life to thank for shaping my success here,” Davis said. 

To Get a Seat at the Table 

From the start, Davis’ journey to a seat on the Board of Trustees was different from most students. Many students (and members) on the Board have backgrounds in business and/or finance; Davis has nothing of the sort. However, in the interview process, Davis found his experience in CSH to actually be more helpful to him. 

“My background in science, notably not business, was brought up in my interview,” Davis said. “It was here that I spoke about how in-depth reading and critical thinking were important skills that my research background gave me, which would help me overcome the challenges of not coming from a business background.” 

As it turns out, they did. The skills Davis had gained from his CSH background set him apart from the other candidates enough to earn him the spot on the Board of Trustees. And, when trying to find the finer details within data and other Board materials and then make sense of them, they quickly became a necessity for his work on the Board. His research and teaching positions had given him a solid foundation and a leg-up on his fellow Board candidates; now he found himself in the perfect position to make valuable, lasting changes at Ball State and in the larger Muncie community. 

A New Experience with Lasting Change 

Being on the Board of Trustees has provided Davis with a new sense of fulfillment. Through his position, he has been able to meet many brilliant students and faculty with large dreams of what Ball State can be and what Ball State can do for Muncie—and as a Board of Trustees member, Davis is in the perfect position to begin to make those dreams reality.  

Davis has been part of processes approving budgets and site plans to revitalize the Village, ensure Ball State students’ safety and success, enhance education in the Muncie community, and support every individual putting in the work to make these feats possible.  

“I am honored and thankful to know that I have been involved in the process of bettering Ball State and Muncie,” Davis said. 

Through his time on the Board of Trustees, perhaps the biggest lesson Davis has learned is that there is always something you can learn from everyone you meet.

“I have had the great privilege of meeting and working with people in the Muncie community,” Davis explained, “and it does not matter where they are from, what their background is, or how they look; they always turn out to have something extraordinary about them that I can learn from.” 

This lesson has also proven to be true at the hospital he works at in Indianapolis, where he works with patients for sometimes hours at a time. Taking the time to know who he is working with, what they value, and what they’re passionate about is a practice Davis plans on taking with him in his future career as a physician; and it is entirely thanks to his time at Ball State. Through the College of Sciences and Humanities, he gained a foundation of critical thinking and leadership skills, and through Ball State’s Board of Trustees, Davis was provided with the opportunity to get involved in the community and make lasting changes. It proves the right foundation can get you anywhere—and Ball State taught Aidan Davis just that. 

For more information about the Department of Biology, visit our website, contact our office, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. For more information about the Department of Chemistry, visit our website, contact our office, or follow us on Facebook.