For the next five years, Ann Mularz will be easy to find. Try the labs at Princeton.
You’d be hard pressed to find anyone on campus who gets up early as consistently as Ann Mularz C’09. Imagine getting up at 7:30 a.m., working out with your goalkeeping coach, going to classes and labs all day, going to soccer practice, getting to your homework around 8 p.m. and then catching a few hours of sleep before doing it all over again. Oh, and winning prestigious academic and athletic accolades on top of that.
All her hard work has paid off with her acceptance to Princeton’s five-year Ph.D. program, where she’s leaning toward research in materials chemistry, given her interest in solar and fuel cell technology.
"Part of the reason I went into chemistry is there are so many applications, especially in industry," explains Mularz, who last year won the Goldwater Scholarship Award, which recognizes the research of some 300 undergraduate students from across the country in mathematics, science and engineering.
Mularz is even devoting this summer to a highly sought after internship at Merck Research Laboratories. "I realize this is probably one of my last 'free' summers," she says, "but I look at it as another chance to learn something new and exciting. It’s a phenomenal opportunity."
What Mularz won’t sacrifice is soccer, which she's played since the age of 4. "My mom may have lied about my age to get me into the soccer league," she says, explaining that the minimum age had been 5. A 2008 ESPN Magazine Women's Soccer Academic All-American and Landmark Conference Defender of the Year, Mularz is looking to continue playing soccer through graduate school. "Soccer has been such an integral part of my time at Drew, and I owe all of my success to my coaches. I can't imagine not playing soccer. There's no way I’m going to stop now."
Adapted from an article by Shaina Mirsky C'10 that first appeared in "True Drew," a special section of of the student-run newspaper, The Acorn. True Drew celebrates Drew’s diversity by highlighting individuals whose differences define its spirit. The editors of The Acorn selected students for this feature not just for their GPAs or accomplishments, but for demonstrating limitless passion for doing what they love. They are leaders, givers and doers. They are inspirational. They are Drew.
For more student reporting, visit www.drewacorn.com
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