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Ariel Sharpe holds microscope slides during her clinical internship at Baptist Medical Center South in Montgomery, Alabama, where she trained as a medical laboratory scientist.
When Ariel Sharpe arrived at Auburn University from Williamstown, New Jersey, she already had a strong sense of what the Plains were all about. Her father, Auburn alum Fred Sharpe, spent years sharing stories of his time on campus. When Sharpe visited, it all clicked.
“It just felt right,” she said. “The people were so welcoming, and the atmosphere was amazing. Everything my dad said about Auburn turned out to be true.”
Now, after balancing two majors, competing as a Division I track and field athlete and completing a yearlong clinical internship, Sharpe will serve as the College of Sciences and Mathematics’ graduation marshal at Neville Arena on Aug. 9 — an honor that recognizes academic achievement, leadership and service.
That journey began with a clear goal in mind. Sharpe chose Auburn specifically to pursue a degree in medical laboratory science, a highly specialized program.
“A lot of schools that I was getting recruited to didn’t have that major,” she said. “I knew Auburn is very strong in STEM, and I love that.”
Partway through her studies, Sharpe realized that her major alone wouldn’t provide all the prerequisites she needed for her long-term plans. So, she added a biomedical sciences major with a pre-anesthesiology concentration.
“I did athletics and two degrees, but I was also involved in clubs,” she said with a smile. “It was definitely a lot.”
Along the way, she embraced leadership roles in both academic and athletic organizations.
“Once I got comfortable and took on leadership positions, it just came to a point where I could impact people, even the people on Auburn’s campus,” Sharpe said. “I just bring light.”

Sharpe, left, also participated in on-campus leadership programs.
In her third year, she redshirted from competition to complete a full-time, yearlong internship at Baptist Medical Center South in Montgomery, Alabama. Sharpe rotated through every major department in the lab — from chemistry and hematology to microbiology, urinalysis, coagulation, serology and the blood bank. In July, she passed her certification exam and officially became a certified medical laboratory scientist.
Throughout her time at Auburn, Sharpe credited her faith with providing strength and purpose.
“Being far from home helped me lean into something bigger than myself,” she said. “The vision God had for my life became clearer as my relationship with him grew. It gave me the focus and motivation to keep moving forward, even when things got tough.”
Following graduation and two years of track, Sharpe will head to Missouri Southern State University to earn a master’s degree in health care administration, along with taking on work experience thanks to her certification. She’ll also pursue another passion by playing on their soccer team.
Her long-term goal is medical school and a career working with children, focusing specifically on blood cancers and disorders with a concentration in oncology and hematology.
As Sharpe prepares for what’s next, being named the college's graduation marshal serves as a meaningful capstone — a recognition of her dedication, growth and impact, and an opportunity to inspire others.
“I want people to view my story as a girl who was determined, found God and grew through her journey,” she said. “I want to represent a lot of people, especially little girls who look like me, and show them, ‘Look at her, she’s doing all she can.’ It just takes a little faith to propel you a long way.”