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#IamASCLS Janice Conway-Klaasen

By Andrea Hickey posted 01-18-2017 10:56

  

JCK.jpg

Name and Hometown:

Jan Conway Klaassen – Detroit Michigan

Representing which state:

Minnesota

How would you describe yourself as a person?

Energetic, constantly wanting to do new things/getting involved in new opportunities, such as life opportunities that have opened doors - CA, MI WA, NY, NV, MN.

Job Title/specialization:

U of M MLS Program Director, PHD.                                                                                                                                                                                    

What got you into this field?

Starting out in Electrical Engineering, then Chemistry major. Accidently got into MLS when I had a lab partner in chemistry class that was in Med Tech and I decided to switch. Internship at Henry Ford Hospital and decided I preferred Micro. HFH was a huge lab and I got the opportunity to see all aspects of the lab and knew that was the career I wanted including the opportunities for advancement.

Career Highlights:

6 months in the Peace Corps, working at Kaiser Permanente, starting the MLS program at UNLV and coming to Minnesota.

Favorite part about your job?

Working and teaching Students, their excitement in learning new things, and the smiles you get to see each day.

What makes you diverse/unique?

Working with many different ethnic students in teaching and working in different areas of financially diverse walks of life throughout the country. Diversity comes in all forms in our lab life, not only people but drive and achievement levels in this career.

I believe I have a unique perspective about the increasing diversity of students and the workplace because I am multi-racial/cultural. My family has a documented mixed race lineage in the North America since the early 1700s. 

My personal DNA profile by National Geographic is 38% African American, 10% Native American (Lumbee from NC and Iroquois from NY) and 52% Western European (UK & others).  In spite of my outward appearance my primary cultural heritage is African and Native American.  

Biggest achievement:

Raising 3 children who developed into very good people.  Achieving my PHD – which I did purely for myself.  Developing the U of M program into a vital and financially stable MLS program.

ASCLS impact:

I have found many friends and colleagues that I can call on at any time. No matter where I’ve moved, I have instant friends, people who are comrades with the same purpose in our lab field, bringing new ideas and excitement into our career.

 

 

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