Medical Laboratory Science students, faculty host 80 high school students

November 25, 2025 (Volume 49, Number 7)
Article by Kennedy Scott

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In the College of Health Professions, community is at the heart of everything we do.

On November 7, Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) students volunteered to mentor 80 Kent Career Technical Center health sciences students through a series of laboratory simulations. This decade-long partnership is a testament to the program’s sustained commitment to community learning.

Beginning at 7 a.m., students rotated through stations that simulated key tasks in the MLS profession, including blood typing, peripheral smear preparation and blood cell identification, urinalysis, and microbiology biochemical testing. MLS students led the way in facilitating the event, sharing techniques, answering student questions and sharing their own academic journeys.

“It is fun to share our passion with prospective students,” Luke Markley said.

Lilliane Nelson, faculty member and program director of MLS, said when students successfully performed complex tests, they instantly lit up upon recognizing concepts they had learned at KCTC. “Their excitement was palpable, and it gave a true face to the MLS profession,” she says.

For essential, often unseen careers like medical laboratory science, Nelson said these community connections help demystify the field and empower local students to pursue STEM and healthcare pathways at GVSU.

– Kennedy Scott is the marketing and communications specialist for the College of Health Professions.

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