Suhani Patel is making the most of her Truman experience by developing connections.
LITTLE THINGS CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. When Suhani Patel visited Truman, it was in the dead of winter, before students were back on campus. Sidewalks had yet to be cleared after a storm, and a major construction project was underway in the middle of campus, so it wasn’t exactly picturesque. Nevertheless, she gave the school a fair shake, putting stock in the University’s academic reputation and trust in her tour guide.
“The student ambassador from my tour did a fantastic job in checking all the boxes of my ideal college, from academics to social,” Patel said. “As I continued to research Truman, I found it to be the best school with an ideal class size, academic and research opportunities, along with organizations that I could carry on hobbies like Indian classical dancing.”
Still, there were reservations, most notably that Kirksville does not have a mandir, the traditional place of worship in Hindu culture. During Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, Patel would give tours of the mandir her family attends in Shawnee, Kansas, a short drive from her home in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. The apprehension of not having built-in community support gave way with one final touch during her recruitment process – a handwritten postcard from a chemistry faculty member.
“It is a very rare thing in college to find professors and staff members who go above and beyond to make students feel like family, and Truman embodies that very well,” she said.
Fast forward two years and “ingrained” would be the best word to describe Patel’s connection to the Truman community. With medical career aspirations, she chose biochemistry and molecular biology for her major and recently upgraded her mathematics minor to a second major after participating in computational chemistry research through A.T. Still University.
“It wasn’t until March of 2025, when I started preparing for my Student Research Conference talk, that I realized how beautifully my two academic worlds were clashing together,” she said. “This realization made me want to continue taking math classes, both for my love towards the subject and in learning the backbone theory of my research.”
Having recently completed her sophomore year, Patel has twice participated in Truman’s annual Student Research Conference. While some students may look forward to homecoming, breaks or even Reading Day (Eve), the SRC is what she circles on her calendar.
“As a college student, my favorite day of the year is the Student Research Conference. I am given the opportunity to fully be myself while getting to talk about my research.”
— Suhani Patel<.p>
“As a college student, my favorite day of the year is the Student Research Conference,” she said. “I am given the opportunity to fully be myself while getting to talk about my research.”
Outside of the classroom, Patel is actively involved in more than half a dozen extracurricular activities. In addition to being the president of the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, she has leadership positions in the Pre-Student Osteopathic Medical Association and Alpha Chi Sigma. Through her affiliation with the South Asian Student Union, Patel has been able to continue her love of Indian classical dance by co-hosting and choreographing two annual events. She also taught an Indian folk-dance class at the Student Recreation Center.
“Truman is a supportive community of various academic and social interests, where everyone is curious and willing to dabble in other fields to learn more,” she said. “Truman truly lives up to its liberal arts education. Many of my STEM friends and I have integrated a part of ourselves into classes outside of STEM. I had the opportunity to take Piano Lower Division, where I was fortunate to learn key piano skills and perform in Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall. Essentially, students can enroll in classes outside of their major and develop crucial skills they wouldn’t have gotten to otherwise.”
Whether it is piano recitals, making friends during Truman Week or taking in the sunrise during a morning hike at Thousand Hills State Park, Patel has found a home in Kirksville.
“Outside of academics, the staff from food services to administration are all involved with the student body. Most, if not all, of MO Hall’s dining staff have gone out of their way to get to know me and many other students. As soon as I enter their dining hall a staff member, typically Tabby, is ready with my quesadilla with a side of sour cream,” she said. “The community here at Truman is extremely supportive, and I truly was not expecting all the warmth.”
Patel performs an Indian folk dance at the International Prom in Pershing Arena
In the future, Patel will likely continue to be part of a university community. She intends to obtain an MD-PhD in oncology and biophysics with a focus on using computational methods. Ideally, she would like to teach and conduct research at a medical school while still seeing patients in the clinic.
For now, Patel still has two years left at Truman, and she plans to make the most of them. One way she is giving back to her newfound community is through her role as a student ambassador. She now helps prospective students in the same way she was aided on her first visit to campus.
“Since coming to Truman, I have developed an immense amount of pride and love for our school,” she said. “Being a student ambassador is absolutely one of my favorite things to do. There is never a dull moment in giving tours to families. They are so kind, amiable and full of stories, especially our beloved alumni who bring their kids and grandkids.”
