Lee Replogle
Hometown: Gurnee, IL
University: University of Illinois
Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology
BIOGRAPHY
My name is Lee Replogle and I was born at a hospital in Evanston Illinois. Growing up, I loved to play outside. I used to play sports with friends, engage in toy gun fights, and get muddy in the wetlands behind my house. My friends and I built a huge city in the wetlands from scavenged wood and nails, which included tree-forts on telephone poles and subterranean caverns. I swam on the swim team for 7 years in high school. My favorite stroke was breaststroke, although my best stroke was backstroke. I raced on relays with my team members and we trained diligently during practice. My Junior year I set a school record in the 100 yard backstroke. In highschool I worked at many diverse jobs. My first job at age 16 was as a pizza chef at Nancy’s Pizza. Upon turning 17, I became a ride operator at Six Flags Great America. Shortly after, I joined the sales team at TCF Bank and worked as a teller at a local branch in Zion Illinois. In college I chose MCB as my major and worked hard to excel in my classes. I volunteered in hospitals, student organizations, nurseries, and pet shelters. I have conducted research on cell-cell signaling in the Aplysia californifica central nervous system and wrote a thesis earning high distinction. I have presented my research on five different occasions and have won monetary prizes as well. I love music (especially piano) with all my heart. I will hopefully attend Medical School, with the goal of pursuing a life of clinical and academic medicine.
PERSONAL STATEMENT
My paternal grandmother died of lung cancer when I was a sophomore in college. We visited her frequently throughout my youth, and we were very close. She had a lobe removed from her lung after the cancer had destroyed her adrenal glands and spread throughout her body. I volunteered at Carle Hospital Oncology department in the fall of 2010. I worked with patients ranging in age from 5-80 years old. Some patients were repeat visitors, some stayed for months, and others left shortly. By raising money for the American Cancer Society and Camp Kesem, we are actively fighting against cancer. Hopefully with our efforts and the efforts of others in the world, we can eradicate the diseases known as cancer so future generation can live cancer free.