Joel Ennin ’20P

“I am extremely blessed. My toxicology major, seasoned with the required liberal arts courses, gave me a solid foundation in the basic sciences and enhanced my reasoning skills.”

“Good communication skills are a huge part of medical school, and explaining complex scientific concepts is a frequent practice both in class and clinically,” he continued. “That fact alone has made me appreciate those toxicology class presentations, group discussions, and student events even more.”

Mr. Ennin is now a first-year student at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) and stressed his St. John’s experience gave him an advantage over his peers. “For example, many of my fellow students hadn’t taken anatomy. Even if they did, their anatomy courses were not as intense as the Human Anatomy course St. John’s toxicology majors take during their second year.”

“Joel’s experience is a wonderful testament to the success of our College’s Toxicology program,” noted John M. Conry, Pharm.D., Interim Dean, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. “It is a gift for the College to be instrumental in helping our students achieve their goals, and to improve the health of our communities.” 

“Joel was an exceptional student,” recalled Sue M. Ford, Ph.D., Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology, Director of the Toxicology program, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. “In the classroom, his performance was outstanding, particularly his intellectual contributions to class discussions and projects. Despite the rigors of both the toxicology program and the Honors Program, he participated in career-enhancing extracurricular activities, including a competitive research internship.”

During his time at St. John’s, Mr. Ennin served as Secretary of Tau Omega Chi, the student Toxicology club, which also informed work he currently performs. Today, he serves as a Senator for the Student Government Association of TTUHSC and is Chair of its Finance Committee.

Born and raised in a small, rural town in Texas, Mr. Ennin craved the experience of living in a bigger city after high school. “One day, my mother informed me that I had received a pamphlet in the mail from St. John’s University. She was so excited to learn that the University was located in a big city like I had hoped.”

He added, “I explored more about the University and its curriculum, which immediately piqued my interest. I noticed many unique majors and programs offered in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and decided to apply.”

Mr. Ennin noted that courses such as Principles of Toxicology and Regulatory Toxicology taught him how to integrate scientific concepts and think holistically in dealing with organ systems. “I received a solid foundation in the basic sciences during my first two years at St. John’s. In medical school, we cover each system only once. For this reason, the preparation I received from St. John’s was critical. I was drawn to the public health and regulatory agency aspect of the major, which enabled me to learn more about the politics and business side of science.”