Receiving the Ryan Turner Memorial Scholarship: A reflection

10155041_10152804403176465_6905159845629020817_nMy name is Lydia Lancaster, a third year student at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry and the humbled recipient of the ASDA Ryan Turner Memorial Scholarship. I write to tell you today that anyone can be a leader. Yes, including you.

My path to organized dentistry is a winding one. Born and raised in a farming community in Southeast Missouri, I was a small-town girl with big dreams of pursuing a career in health care. After high school, I moved to Memphis, Tenn., where I attended Rhodes College, a small liberal arts college. Those four years taught me to be a lifelong learner and a contributing citizen of the world, especially in the form of service.