Jynx Boyne
Hometown: Fort Wayne, IN
Class of: 2016
E-mail: mboyne@purdue.edu
Why I chose Purdue?
I was granted the 21st Century Scholarship in High School, which kept me at in-state schools. In high school, I had two loves: Engineering and English. So I wanted to a school with a program that allowed me access to both. After visiting Purdue with my grandfather, a Chemical Engineering alumni, I was sold on the campus. More research showed that Purdue had a good Biomedical Engineering program, and that is what sealed the deal for me.
Why I chose Engineering and BME?
My parents really wanted someone in our family to be a doctor, and they figured it’d be me because of my drive to help people and animals, specifically with medical problems (apparently I have good bed-side manner). However, I wanted to do something else in the medical field that did not require me to be the one with the knife. I have had the dream since high school to work in a clinic providing low cost or more affordable healthcare, specifically in prosthetics and devices. The clinic is the medical side of my brain talking, while the devices and prosthetics are the engineering. I knew that engineering would be one way for me to help many people improve their lives without having to be a medical doctor. Biomedical Engineering, therefore, was almost the perfect major for me.
Extra-curricular activities:
Apart from being a Biomedical Engineering Ambassador, I am an ambassador for the Global Engineering Program (GEP), where we help students find study abroad opportunities and global design teams. I am also the treasurer and past president of the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals @ Purdue (NOGLSTP @ Purdue). With this organization, I work on making Purdue a more inclusive and diverse campus. The organization also works on community education, raising awareness, and promoting safe and inclusive workplaces.
Engineering-related experience/CO-OP/Intern/Research:
I have participated in the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) at Purdue, working for the Center for Implantable Devices on various research projects. These projects I am continuing as well as working on Senior Design this semester. I also did an independent study abroad, traveling to New York, Amsterdam, and Paris to see how healthcare reaches disenfranchised populations, such as LGBTQ+ and people of color.
Post-graduation plans:
My long term goal is to work on creating a non-for-profit clinic that can provide support and healthcare to people in need. But to get there, I will need to pursue industry experience, a Master’s in Public Health, and a Master’s in Business. I would also like to become a published novelist and poet.