Nathaniel Wagner '20 & '22
I loved working as a student laboratory assistant in the biology department throughout my undergraduate career; I had the best boss and the faculty and staff were all great to work with.
Biology Career Guide
Explore Options: A Menu of Major-Specific Experiences and Sampling of Related Career Paths
Academic Resources
Explore our Biology academic resources, designed to support your academic aspirations.
Curriculum Guide
Feeling like you don't know what to do with all of this great information? We highly encourage to make an appointment with your academic advisor and career advisor. Another great starting point is the Self-Guided Career Exploration Tool.
Career Resources
Unlock career potential in Biology! Discover resources to maximize your professional trajectory.
Menu of Experiences
Sample Biology Internship Sites
Internships provide a way for you to get hands-on, supervised experience in the world of work. You are able to apply the concepts you are learning in the classroom to a work environment.
Join A Student Organization
Get involved with a student organization related to your major. Student orgs are a great way to get connected and explore career options!
Biology Club
Student Environmental Coalition
Wildlife Society
Soil and Water Conservation Club
Beekeeper Club
Genetic Counseling Club
Pre: vet, med, med/Ph.D., pharm, opt, PA, dental, nursing
Relevant Courses and Certificates for Building Skills
Developing the relevant skills that employers seek is an essential component of a student's education. GVSU students should consider strategic elective courses and certificates to pair with their major in order to gain additional skills.
Bioinformatics and Genomics Certificate
Grant Writing
Research
Public speaking
GIS Certificate
Sustainable City and Regional Planning Certificate
Sustainable Food Systems Certificate
CENA
Phlebotomy
Community Service Opportunities
Seek volunteer opportunities related to the field you're exploring as a way of testing out future careers.
The Civic Engagement Center keeps a list of current volunteer opportunities updated on their website. There are ongoing opportunities on a continuous basis, as well as on-campus and off-campus opportunities posted as they become available.
Biology Study Abroad Options
Through study abroad you’ll also set yourself apart from other job-seekers and graduate-school applicants in an increasingly competitive market.
Imagine learning about the delicate marine ecosystems of coral reefs while living on the coast of Australia, taking classes about the ecology of the rainforest and its exotic inhabitants in Costa Rica, or conducting field work in the Sahara or a national park in Kenya. Study abroad opens up opportunities around the world for biology students to get a firsthand look at ecosystems drastically different than our own as well as access to global natural resource management styles.
Undergraduate Scholar Engagement
Pursuing academic, creative, and research experiences and projects outside the classroom is an excellent way to learn new skills and build a body of work in your field.
The Center for Undergraduate Scholar Engagement (CUSE) provides opportunities for undergraduate research and scholarship.
Biology Career Spotlights
Marion Maier '71
Tugs-of-war across the library pond
Laurie Beth Nederveld '09
During my graduate research, I studied the impact of sediment remediation on stream conditions using a benthic macroinvertebrate index of biotic integrity.
Adam Vande Kerkhoff '18
My favorite Grand Valley memory was tailgating with my fraternity brothers before football games. Everyone was decked out in GVSU colors, ready to cheer the team on.
Where Alumni Have Landed
- Assistant Ranger – Oregon State Park
- Watershed Technician – Allegan Conservation District
- Research Scientist – Amway
- Quality Control – Founders
- Animal Care Technician – Cascade Animal Hospital
- Claims Adjuster – Farmers Insurance
- Neurofeedback Technician – Neurocore
- Field Technician – GEI Consultants
- Environmental Quality Analyst – State of Michigan
- Training Lead Technician – Bio Life Plasma
- Sanitarian – Kent County Health Department
- Quality Lab Analyst – MedJohnson Nutrition
- Zookeeper – John Ball Zoological Society
- Quality Assurance Audit Technician – Perrigo
- Manager – Macatawa Watershed Project
- Nurse Technician – Spectrum Health
- Laboratory Specialist – Evoqua Water Technologies
- Invasive Species Manager – Aquatic Doctors Lake Management
- Associate Project Manager – Corium International
- Lab Analyst – Ranir
Attend Events
There are no upcoming Career Community- STEM at this time
Consider joining the STEM Career Community or any other Career Community you are interested in!
Beyond Undergraduate: Graduate or Professional Programs
Students with a biology degree may continue on to a graduate program. Here are some examples of programs students have pursued:
- Veterinarian School
- Medical School
- Professional Science Master’s Program (Biostatistics)
- Biology
- Public Health
- Physician Assistant
- Genetics
- Marine Biology
- Medical Science
Discover More
Join a career community
Watch videos of professionals in the field
Check out our podcast!
Career Center Resources
Looking for other career resources? The Career Center Resources page contains resources related to careers, resumes, internships, job search, interviewing, networking, and more.