Haley Gladden

I’m originally from the West Chicago suburbs and attended the University of Richmond for my Bachelor's in Healthcare Studies and a minor in Biology. I have a heavy background in both computational chemistry and molecular biology research fields. Additionally, I have a  passion for volunteering at local hospitals and a mental health hotline, and participating in and leading health clinics. My involvement in multicultural programs also gives me a unique perspective and has widened my scope of learning while working with people of diverse backgrounds. I'm interested in both public health administration and clinical research fields and am inspired by my experiences to take the next steps in my career. 

I have obtained experience in various leadership roles at the University of Richmond and beyond, which have contributed to my professional communication skills and ability to work within and outside of group settings. My role as an ambassador at Arts & Sciences Conferences has allowed me to master collaboration on a deadline with peers and alumni from opposing fields on local Richmond-related issues. Such investigative topics included pandemic reverberations, syphilis prevention, and health disparities. In my independent administrative work, as Center for Student Involvement Secretary, I have shown attention to detail and clarity when communicating information to a large body of students. My Flu Shot Clinic Lead Coordinator role gave me project management experience while requiring timely collaboration and organization across various groups. 

In my volunteer work with Crisistextline,  I work on mental health crisis intervention, with a supervisor for guidance. This experience also coincides with my dedication to maintaining relationships as a mentor to multicultural students throughout their college careers, in both Orientation Advisor and TA roles. Thus, I can confidently say I have experience in problem-solving with people of diverse backgrounds. I have also shown advocacy in educating peers through my various certifications to connect them with resources for health safety. This on top of health clinics and hospital volunteering showcases my passion for healthcare knowledge and supporting patients. Furthermore, I ensure patient safety with my actions in these settings. Although there are limitations to volunteering roles in patient advocacy, I have acted when witnessing medical racism, an active labor patient, and patients with language barriers. I additionally have a great comfortability working with women, children and infants in my current and former volunteering roles which have included working in daycares for Hephzibah Children’s Association, a home for traumatized, abused and/or neglected children in foster care. My hospital role allows me to document patient complaints, call hospital departments, and mitigate harm to improve a patient’s experience. I am committed to patients’ well-being. I would cherish developing this medical background in conducting research for patients

In my coursework, I have found a deep interest in biological sciences and have learned through my biological research to multi-task and adhere to protocols while performing PCRs, cell transformations, DNA sequencing, gel electroporation, and SLIM: Site-directed Ligase independent mutagenesis while working with Agrobacterium cultures. I have developed a routine in the organization in maintaining a the lab station, and also work closely with a post-bac mentor to problem-solve while analyzing data results. In the past, I worked in a computational chemistry lab on COVID-19, researching a novel drug binding site for disruption of SARS-COV-2 interaction with the hACE2 complex junction. My healthcare studies background expanded my horizons to understanding public health impact through classes such as epidemiology, statistics, and ethics. 

My Science Math and Research Training program for minority students in the sciences has widened my scope of learning. My healthcare and biological studies have taught me time management and self-direction that will allow me to produce accurate, high-quality results. My recent classwork consisted of basic R program learning, which contributes to my computer proficiency.