Davidson Alum Conducts Medical Research at Harvard

Davidson College Alum Jean Beltran is pursuing his Ph.D. at Harvard Medical School’s Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program, which boasts a world-class faculty and wide variety of research opportunities. Currently immersed in intensive coursework, Jean is the recipient of the National Science Foundation’s highly coveted Graduate Research Fellowship. The prestigious program receives over 13,000 applications each year and provides nearly $160,000 to cover the expenses of graduate school.

“At first I thought I wanted to do a pre-med track and pursue an MD,” says Jean. “It was my Posse mentor, Dr. Verna Miller Case, who encouraged me to explore research and led me to my first undergraduate research experience at Davidson.”

Dr. Case, who served 45 years at Brandeis as a distinguished member of the faculty in the biology department before retiring in 2019, directs Davidson’s summer program in Zambia. Having previously served as the mentor for the first Davidson Posse from Miami in 2015, she volunteered to mentor Jean’s Posse cohort.

Through Posse, I was surrounded by people who saw my potential and motivated me to aspire for more.

In an article for Davidson College, Dr. Case reflected on her first experience as a Posse mentor, saying, “We became like a family. I got to know them very well, and they knew I would hold their confidences.”

With his mentor’s support, Jean majored in biology at Davidson and participated in undergraduate research programs every summer. Outside of class, he worked at the local elementary school for its after-school program and volunteered to teach Spanish to kindergarten and second-grade classes. At heart, he is a structural biologist, most interested in using biochemistry and using imagery techniques to investigate biological forms and processes.

Jean credits Posse with providing a safety net that encouraged him to explore outside of his comfort zone. He says, “I was surrounded by people who saw my potential and motivated me to aspire for more. The connections I made with faculty at Davidson and beyond were made possible by the support received from my Posse mentor.”

In addition to research, Jean is excited to join the ranks of academics and give back as a professor.

“I’ve been so fortunate throughout my academic career to have amazing mentors and an amazing academic support system,” says Jean. “Without their work, I wouldn’t be here today. I want to be a mentor and inspire other people to pursue a career in science.”