Eastern CT State Health Sciences Student Named Pfizer Research Fellow

Eastern Connecticut State University student Nancy Gonzalez has been named a fellow by the Pfizer Research and Development Rotation Program. After she graduates next month, Gonzalez, who is majoring in Health Sciences with a concentration in Allied Health and double minoring in Public Health Studies and Healthcare Management, will join more than 2,000 scientists in the highly selective paid fellowship to explore new knowledge in health care. She will rotate in multiple Pfizer research and development offices and laboratories over the next two years.

 “I am excited and thankful for the offer to be a research and development rotational associate for Pfizer following my graduation from Eastern,” said Gonzalez, a first-generation college student and Opportunity Scholar of the TheDream.US program.

“Eastern and its Health Sciences Program allowed me to have many different unique experiences through volunteering, internships, teaching assistantships and independent study opportunities,” Gonzalez said. “Gaining those experiences and taking a variety of different courses helped me grow as a student and become a well-rounded individual. I am open to new opportunities and ready to apply those experiences and knowledge to any professional setting.”

Health Sciences Professor Anita Lee, who is Gonzalez’s advisor, said, “Nancy is an outstanding role model of a first-generation student. Eastern and its Health Sciences Program are committed to providing opportunities for students’ pre-professional growth and development for upward social mobility and connecting them to healthcare and public health careers. Nancy perfectly fits our concerns.”

The Pfizer R&D Rotational Program is designed to immerse early career recent graduates into the pharmaceutical R&D business through a 2-year program composed of four unique 6-month job rotations in diverse disciplines. Each rotation involves what are described as meaningful assignments and projects, along with mentorship and coaching, and collaborative interactions to develop business acumen and technical expertise and set participants on the path to success.

To build on the company’s R&D talent pipeline and support a commitment to equity and a more inclusive workforce, Pfizer launched the Pfizer R&D Rotational Program for promising science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) college graduates, with a focus on underrepresented minorities, African American/Black, Latino/Hispanic, and Native American, to shape the future of science and healthcare. R&D Rotational Program associates will be hired as full-time employees for the duration of the two-year program, with salary and benefits commensurate with their level of education and experience.

The University’s Health Sciences Department provides “outstanding experiential education to future health professionals to empower them to address current issues in health through education, service, advocacy, research and cutting-edge scholarly activities.”  Located in Willimantic, Eastern is a residential campus of 4,300 students, with almost 3,500 full-time undergraduates. In addition to attracting students from nearly every town in the state (163 of the state’s 169 municipalities), Eastern draws students from 32 other states and more than 10 other countries.