By Ryan Clark
CHS Communications Director

Her father says he remembers the exact time she knew she was coming to UK.

“He said he saw it in my eyes,” says Emily Spacone, a Medical Laboratory Science major from Lake Zurich, Ill. “I don’t know any other way to describe it — I just felt at home. As soon as I stepped on campus, I knew it was the right place for me.”

At 6 p.m., Thursday, in the Harris Ballroom of the Gatton Student Center, Emily and the other 27 students in the MLS Class of 2023 will have their Pinning Ceremony and Reception before their graduation on Friday.  

“This pinning ceremony means a lot to me,” Emily says. “The people in this program became my family and the professors have made a huge influence on my life. This pinning ceremony is a way to celebrate all our hard work during the program and officially send us off into all of our healthcare journeys. I couldn’t think of a better way to end my time here at UK.”

Ever since she was little, Emily knew she wanted to help others. When she discovered the MLS department at UK, she knew it was for her.

“You get to help patients from a behind-the-scenes kind of way, because lab results are the first step to figuring out what is wrong with a patient,” she says. “Lab results affect every aspect of patient care, and I knew that ensuring they had accurate and helpful results was how I wanted to make my difference in the world.”

In the near future, Emily will be working at the Blood Bank for UK HealthCare. She also hopes to go to graduate school and study infectious disease to further make a difference in the world of medicine.

Emily says the best part of the department and College is the support, including small class sizes and professors who want you to succeed.

“It’s the sense of family,” she says. “We made a bond that I will be grateful for my whole life. The professors in this program really cared for me and I could not be more grateful for that. The entire college is behind you at all times. 

“I would say apply to an MLS program right now!” she continues. “It truly was the best decision I have ever made, and I could not be happier starting my MLS career. The work that medical laboratory scientists do is extremely important in all aspects of patient care, and if you are looking for a behind-the-scenes way to help people, then this is definitely the career for you.”