Biology Project Showcases Student's Creativity
August 07, 2025
Eastern Florida State College student Janeliz Acosta took her biology class extra credit project to another level of creativity in Summer Term 2025 by painting an animal cell on her own face.
“This assignment really helped me connect with the concept of cell structure in a fun and creative way,” said Acosta, who is pursing an Associate in Arts degree.
“As I applied the makeup and added the details, I found myself naming each organelle and explaining its function out loud. It was entertaining and hands on, which made the information stick with me more. It turned learning into something enjoyable and helped me better understand how each part of the cell works together.”
The unique assignment was the brainchild of EFSC Biology Instructor Dr. Hannah Bevan in her Biology 1 class (BSCC 1010).
“There were very few guidelines so that the students' creativity could take the wheel, and Janeliz found a fun way to express her interest in the topic of animal cells by relating it to her passion for makeup,” said Bevan.
“This has been a fun way for students to connect their personal hobbies with the biological content, where some of the other students have produced poetry, recorded songs, constructed 3D models, baked, and I even had one student create a rug that resembled a plant cell!”
Acosta is still exploring her long-term career goal and decided to work toward an A.A. because of her strong interest in the medical field.
“I completed an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) program at EFSC, which helped me understand what I enjoy and what I don’t. That experience led me to want to focus more on human anatomy and pathology, with the goal of eventually working alongside a medical examiner during autopsies.”
Dr. Bevan says the assignment grew out of the challenge as an instructor to translate rigorous topics like biology into something fun and relatable for students.
“This extra credit assignment gives them the chance to take any topic we've covered and reimagine it in a nontraditional format. It encourages creativity, personal connection, and deeper understanding of how these concepts apply to the real world,” said Bevan.
“Our EFSC students are incredibly talented in so many ways, and I love giving them a platform to express themselves and make science their own. I am always blown away with what they produce!”
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