Isaiah Davis ’21 spends his days researching new therapies for advanced cancers in a lab at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. He is working toward his doctorate in cancer immunology with a focus on developing novel therapies for advanced cancers.
For Davis, there are times when he thinks about his journey – from William Peace University to being months away from earning his Ph.D. – and even he’s shocked by where he is now.
Davis’ path hasn’t been easy. He became a parent during his freshman year at Peace and left school for a while. His grades weren’t the best, and he had to take a detour at Wake Technical Community College before returning to Peace. When he got back to campus and wanted to major in biology, he knew it would be a challenge to get through the coursework.
But Davis said determination, faith, and guidance from caring professors at Peace brought him to where he is now. “I knew what was destined for me,” Davis said. “I had a level of determination. I knew it was bigger than me.”
A Detour That Led to Purpose
During Davis’s freshman year at Peace he welcomed a son. This experience became a turning point in his life.
Having to take his son to doctor’s visits made Davis interested in the medical field. His son required multiple surgeries, and some of the things the doctors were talking about were “completely foreign” to Davis.
“It really struck me sitting there,” Davis said. “I wanted to switch to biology to learn more about human anatomy.”
No Turning Back
Davis had a vision, but significant work was still required.
“My grades were terrible,” Davis said. “I did not have a good GPA. I took some courses at Wake Tech, got back on track, got a decent enough GPA to get back into Peace, and then I spoke with Dr. Myer.”
Davis credits a conversation with Patrick Myer, associate professor of biology, as the pivotal moment in his undergraduate career that changed the trajectory of his life.
Myer listened as Davis laid out how he wanted his future to look – study biology at Peace, get into a good school for his master’s, and work toward his Ph.D.
“I could see Isaiah had all the potential in the world,” Myer said. “I knew he could accomplish anything he attempted.”
In that conversation, Myer was direct with Davis. Once Davis committed to this path, he wasn’t going to let him turn back.
“I’ll never forget,” Davis said. “He told me, ‘We’re going on this biology track.’ His exact words were, ‘Once you start this plan, this is a contract. Once you sign your name, you can’t go back.’ Ever since then, it was like, this is what I’m doing.”
Peace Prepared Davis for the Future
He knew the path wouldn’t be an easy one. The courses were rigorous, especially human anatomy. Looking back, Davis credits the coursework under Myer and Lisa Bonner, department chair of science and mathematics, for shaping him into who he is today.
The way the courses were designed, down to the practical exams, as well as the in-class exams, taught students what to expect once they got to medical school. When he left Peace, he worked at Duke University for six months in the Human Vaccine Institute, holding a research position in immunology. He says he went into that position with a good understanding of the medical field based on what he learned at Peace.
“When I was working at Duke, getting that job and representing Peace there, obviously, I possessed the skills to go work at a world-renowned university alongside doctors who were pivotal in their careers,” Davis said. “What I learned at Peace definitely gave me the foundation to be successful.”
