Make The Connection

March 16, 2021 | By Cole Hatcher

Myles Steed ’23 volunteers to conduct health screenings at Ohio Wesleyan’s Early Childhood Center. (Photos by Sara Stuntz)

A Dose of Doing Good

Ohio Wesleyan Pre-Med Student Volunteers to Conduct Health Screenings at Early Childhood Center

Name: Myles Steed ’23
Hometown: Marion, Ohio
Major: Pre-Medicine and Microbiology
Minor: Psychology
OWU Connection Experience: Volunteering at Ohio Wesleyan’s Early Childhood Center

Since fall, Myles Steed ’23 has been volunteering at Ohio Wesleyan’s on-campus Early Childhood Center, a preschool for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old children. Courses are planned and taught by experienced professional teachers, with opportunities for OWU students to participate in special projects and prepare for their own education and other careers.

Steed works Tuesday and Thursday mornings, “coming early to clean and dry the toys that the kids will be using. Then I get the thermometer prepped and make sure that I have hand sanitizer for the kids and staff.

“Finally, when the kids come I take their temperatures, assess that they are not sick or have any symptoms (usually I will ask their parents if they are displaying any symptoms that may warrant attention), and give them sanitizer, making sure that I go over with them how to rub it in to get the backs of the hands and in-between the fingers.

On Working with Children

“I really enjoy working with the kids. I think it is so crazy how adaptable kids are, and I think that is something that we can learn from them. They really are sponges when it comes to learning new things.

“When starting a new class, it usually only takes a few sessions for them to get in the routine of things. I really enjoy engaging with the kids, as awkward it may be sometimes to have a thermometer put up to their head. … My favorite part of working with the kids is their engaging stories that they talk with me about. I have had kids come up to me showing off their cool rocks and stuffed animals and it just makes my day.”

On Medical Interests

“I have not completed research yet at OWU; however, I currently am in the process of constructing a Theory-to-Practice Grant regarding antibiotic resistance, a topic that I am very passionate about and plan on pursuing beyond OWU.”

Why I Chose Ohio Wesleyan

“I chose OWU because I liked the learning opportunities that were available, where I can speak one-on-one with a professor and I love the sense of community that I felt in orientation.”

My Plans After Graduation

“As for my plans after graduation, I plan on pursuing a Ph.D. in Microbiology and eventually working at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a microbiologist specializing in antibiotic resistance and medication/vaccine development.”