MSU senior: ‘Have a plan and stick to it’

Published 11:00 pm Wednesday, December 13, 2017

A Brookhaven woman juggling chemistry, biology, psychology and Spanish successfully at Mississippi State University has been named to the university’s prestigious Society of Scholars in the Arts and Sciences.

Lindsey Winborne, the daughter of Stan and Sandy Winborne, is one of just 23 Bulldog seniors to receive the invitation to join the honors organization, which recognizes top students each semester who have shown they have the wits and gumption to succeed while taking courses in the arts, sciences and humanities.

The 21-year-old is leaning toward pediatrics as her career choice because she loves children and medicine. She’s already been accepted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Medicine. She starts in August.

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“It would be the choice that combines two of my passions,” she said. “Of course, as I move through my medical training, another path may be revealed but pediatrician is where my heart lies now.”

To become eligible for the Society of Scholars, Winborne challenged herself by choosing to study chemistry, a subject that clicked with her at BA. Then she minored in areas she found both challenging and interesting — biology, psychology and Spanish. And she’s kept a 3.96 GPA while doing it.

Winborne had the opportunity to study abroad in Italy and Spain while at Mississippi State.

“I was in Italy for three weeks and took a landscape architecture course through Mississippi State while I was there,” she said. “We stayed mostly in Rome but took trips to Venice and Florence.”

She also spent a month in Spain and studied at a university there. She lived with a host family and immersed herself into their culture.

“I specifically took courses outside of my chemistry major that I felt would benefit me in pursuit of my medical degree,” she said.  “Being conversationally fluent in Spanish as well as having some background in psychology seem very beneficial to my future as a physician.”

At State, the former BA Cougar is in the Chi Omega sorority and previously served as vice president. She’s an MSU Foundation ambassador and a mentor for the ACCESS program.  She also participates in intramural sports and several pre-health societies.

With ACCESS, Winborne works to help students with intellectual disabilities adapt to higher education while enhancing their independent living skills. She’s mentored the same student for two years.

“It was a joy for me to see him not only adapt but thrive in the college environment,” she said. “His courage, determination and tenacity was a testimony to me every single day. I can only hope that I impacted him even half as much as he meant to me.”

When not studying and working in the sociology department, Winborne enjoys tennis, reading fiction novels and mysteries and watching movies — comedies and action films are preferred.

In her senior year at State, Winborne has learned that finding a balance in life is important.

“It is necessary to not give too much of yourself to any one thing but to experience as many aspects of life as you can,” she said. “I am a very focused person and can multi-task. My secret is to have a plan or schedule and stick to it.”

With Christmas holidays around the corner, Winborne is looking forward to church service on Christmas Eve before dinner at her grandmother’s home.

“It’s the perfect remembrance of the real reason for the season,” she said.