Ethan Wunibald is anticipating his upcoming visit to Virginia Peninsula Community College. The 2022 graduate is eager to engage with STEM students.
He is set to speak at a Science Club meeting in September. His motivation stems from his experiences as a curious student with many questions about the transfer process and the medical field.
"I want to come back and speak because it gives the students another resource, a peer," said Wunibald, who earned an associate degree in science from VPCC.
Now an enthusiastic pre-med student at William & Mary, he plans to discuss the pre-med path, necessary classes, beneficial extracurricular activities, application timelines, and the importance of building relationships with professors. He hopes to inspire future scientists and medical professionals with his insights.
“I offered to do it because I remember being a student there. I had a lot of questions. I wasn’t sure what the transfer process was going to be like … how different it was going to be when I got to the university," he said.
Wunibald began at VPCC in the summer of 2021 after graduating from Jamestown High School. Virginia Peninsula Community College was a natural choice, thanks to his brother and sister. They stressed the financial benefits of community college and shared their own positive experiences at VPCC.
“My siblings had gone there, and I knew it was a good financial decision because I was going to be paying out of pocket for school. It also gave me the time to sit and think, take a few classes in different subjects, and decide that I wanted to go into medicine," he said.
He explored various subjects, including anatomy, physiology and microbiology at VPCC.
“When I took those classes, it confirmed for me that it had been the most engaging thing I’d ever taken," he mused, saying that clarity guided as he transferred to William & Mary in spring 2023.
There, he is a kinesiology major having taken the recommendation of a pre-med advisor.
Wunibald’s passion for science and medicine goes beyond the classroom. He is gaining valuable experience as an assistant in a cardiovascular physiology lab at William & Mary.
“I work with a physiology professor on a project ... It’s been really cool because I get to see how what I’m learning in my classes works in the real world," Wunibald said, noting he spent seven weeks this summer on the project.
“That was my first step in the career of science … my first time getting to do something that was hands-on and productive,” he added.
Wunibald credits VPCC for preparing him for college transfer and his role as a lab assistant. He said the transfer advisor’s expertise was vital and a research foundations class introduced him to scientific research.
"Without that class, I don’t think I would’ve been able to start so soon when I got to William & Mary," he said, citing VPCC’s Elena Kuchina, a physics professor and department head, for motivating him to push boundaries and get involved in science.
Wunibald’s dedication to research has earned him a place among the Monroe Scholars at William & Mary. The prestigious group provides resources for students interested in research.
His five-year plan includes graduating in spring 2025 and applying to medical school. He said the interim year will allow him to work in an ER or join AmeriCorps.
"If I get admitted to medical school, the next four years will be dedicated to that," he stressed.
Besides focusing on academics and plotting his future, the former Boy Scouts volunteer and Williamsburg resident is an avid outdoorsman. He spent last summer on canoeing trips in Minnesota and Canada with the Boy Scouts and hopes to have similar adventures soon. He also volunteers at a free clinic in Yorktown. As a scribe at the clinic, he helps doctors by recording patient histories and vital signs, logging treatment and follow-up plans, and reporting any needed labs and prescriptions.
Additionally, he tutors at Warhill High School and participates in the Griffin School Partnerships at William & Mary. Griffin School Partnerships aims to address educational inequities by helping young students in Williamsburg through mentoring, tutoring and providing a support network.
With a solid plan for his future, he is grateful for his family’s support, particularly his brother and sister. They helped him navigate higher education rigors and stay motivated. He also thanks his parents for their constant encouragement while they allowed him to live at home to continue his studies.
Wunibald believes attending community college was one of his best decisions ever, and he highly recommends it.
"I think anybody who is considering it should absolutely do it because it’s a great way for people to step into ideas they have for their future if they’re unsure. Start at the community college," he said.
As Wunibald, who served as a Presidential Ambassador at VPCC in academic year 2021-2022, prepares to share his experiences with VPCC students, he hopes to inspire them to pursue their passions and chart their paths in higher education with confidence.