As a very recent alumnus myself, meeting fellow alums, Drs. LaGrange and Stout, was an inspiration. They both have found a career where they can truly share their passion for science with those they teach.

Dr. LaGrange is currently an associate professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Feik School of Pharmacy at the
University of Incarnate Word and Dr. Stout is an associate professor of Biology at Northwest Vista College.

Front Row Left to Right: Drs. Glenn Toney and Vernon Bishop

Back Row Left to Right: Drs. Tom Cunningham, JR Haywood, Mark Steinhelper

After completing their Ph.D. training and a postdoctoral fellowship at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, they both transitioned into their positions with minimal prior teaching experience. This came as a surprise to me as it is becoming increasingly important to trainees interested in this field to gain some exposure prior to the application process. Further, as they reflected on their transition from research academia to education, they both mentioned the impact of joining the faculty of departments/universities that were newly established. Specifically stating that this provided them the opportunity to help build the program in a dynamic and growing education environment.

Both spoke of the process of building an education program from the foundation up and how that process was the best circumstance for which they could have hoped. Although their programs have been in place for a while now, Drs. LaGrange and Stout said that there is still a lot of growth to be done. It’s that continued growth and expansion that contributes to their growing passion for education.

When asked what advice they have for our current trainees, they encouraged trainees who are interested in teaching to gain some exposure to the field of teaching to determine if it is something of interest. They also both said that trainees from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio are respected locally for their talents both in the lab and classroom. Therefore, if you are interested in a potential career in education please visit the CAC member pages of Dr. Lila LaGrange and Dr. Brian Stout to learn more about their career path.

Additionally, when asked about their hobbies outside of the classroom, Dr. Stout replied, “I’m
into just about everything; sports, movies, music, games etc. Probably the most unique thing would be that I like programming software and video games for fun.” Dr. LaGrange responsed to the same question by saying that she looks forward to spending time in her organic vegetable garden.