For Erin Hodges (‘06), an Honors education did more than complement her UTC biology degree. It taught her to follow her curiosity wherever it led.

“In the Honors College, no one would have even thought about saying, ‘That’s beyond the scope of this class,’” Hodges said. “You could go as in depth as you wanted. My curiosity and my interest in things were encouraged.”

That intellectual freedom carried Hodges from UTC to a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology at Boston University, laboratory work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and, today, her role as a global medical product lead at Sanofi. A virologist working in medical affairs, she translates complex research about an antibody that helps protect infants from severe respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

Hodges credits Honors courses in literature, philosophy and the history of scientific thought by expanding her worldview and helping her connect science with people.

“It really shaped me,” she said. “It was an important time in my life. I still have my copy of ‘The Unbearable Lightness of Being’.”

Scholarship support also gave Hodges the freedom to pursue graduate school without significant undergraduate debt. Her gifts to the Honors College now help provide today’s students with opportunities she sometimes missed while working throughout college.

“I knew that even a small gift could have an impact at UTC,” she said. “I would like to help another future little Erin relax a little, enjoy their college experience and be offered those same opportunities.”

Hodges extends her support through Sanofi’s matching-gift program and encourages alumni to explore whether their employers offer a similar benefit. “You’ve already given the money you’re going to give. This is bonus money,” she said.

For Hodges, giving is also a way to remain part of the UTC community. “It has made me feel more connected to the school,” she said. “I know that what I’m doing is really going to benefit somebody.”

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