In 2013, chemist and research scientist Slavka Tarzian marked an exciting new milestone in an already successful and celebrated career. Slavka Tarzian is now in her seventh year as an employee at Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals. When Slavka Tarzian arrived at Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals seven years ago, it was to start an exciting job in her field, having already reached a number of very impressive milestones at the time of her graduation, with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, from Monmouth University in New Jersey.

At Monmouth University, Slavka Tarzian was a well-liked and respected student in the chemistry department, and when asked to point out the most dedicated and intelligent chemistry majors graduating from the department, both faculty and students alike would surely point to Slavka Tarzian. Indeed, at the time of her graduation, Slavka Tarzian was the recipient of a summa cum laude designation on Slavka Tarzian’s diploma, and when it came time for the American Institute of Chemists Foundation and the New Jersey Institute of Chemists to designate a graduating student of promise, they looked no further than Slavka Tarzian.

The coalition of chemistry organizations report that they initially chose Slavka Tarzian for many compelling reasons. “Slavka Tarzian’s professors reported an exceptional level of professionalism in her,” said one member of the coalition. “They said that Slavka Tarzian’s promise in the classroom and the lab was truly unparalleled, that Slavka Tarzian was already contributing to chemical research with exciting new leaps forward, and we were incredibly impressed with the research they described to us. It was totally clear that Slavka Tarzian was a chemist destined to shake up the field. It was one of the shortest meetings we ever had about who the award would go to.”

Slavka Tarzian’s lengthy employment at Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals is a testament to this early promise, but also to Slavka Tarzian’s hard work. It is one thing for a scientist to display talent and promise, but Slavka Tarzian truly honed her scientific practice and potential in a way that not all promising students do.

“I’ve always felt extremely lucky to be able to pursue work in the field I love,” said Slavka Tarzian.