Sadeiah Mapp Matthews

Current Position: Research Assistant, The Center for Forensic Science Research & Education

After spending nearly a decade working across criminal justice, emergency medicine, and fire service, Sadeiah Mapp Matthews knew it was time for a change. With both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Criminal Justice already under her belt, the decision to return to school was gradual, slowly transitioning into the healthcare field, landing a position as a medical lab technician at a veterinary lab.

This experience eventually led Sadeiah to go back to school to earn her bachelor's degree in medical laboratory science.

"The program at GMercyU has stellar affiliations with clinical MLS programs from the regional area and boasts high ASCP board examination pass rates. GMercyU also has great recruiting/advising staff for transfer students, which made my enrollment quite seamless. GMercyU is also very generous in their scholarship and grant opportunities, which allowed me to be able to afford to go back to school," Sadeiah said.

Experience in Med Lab Science Program

At the start of Sadeiah's time at GMercyU, she took courses such as A&P, general biology and chemistry and organic chemistry. She feels as if these courses help lay a strong and well-rounded foundation for students.

The great thing about program at GMercyU is that you gain an encompassing medical and scientific understanding going into your clinical year. Your courses on campus will prepare you for your clinical year at any of the affiliated programs.

In addition to these foundational courses, Sadeiah credits professors for setting students up for success not just in clinical settings, but in their careers.

“Professors like Dr. Marc Koyack, Dr. Robert Kane, Dr. Michelle McEliece, and Dr. Stacey Lettini were all integral in my success at GMercyU. Their instruction helped to develop the necessary critical thinking skills needed for a career in such a high stakes analytical setting,” Sadeiah said. “The classes on campus are manageable and have smaller professor-to-student ratios which allow for more personal connection, and you can tell that they are equally invested in your success.”

Through her time in the program, Sadeiah gained real-world experience through her clinical rotations at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. Her clinical experience began after a rigorous period of examinations in immunohematology, clinical chemistry, clinical microbiology, hematology, urinalysis, and immunology.

“We had rotations in these departments as well, which gave us a tactical and more in-depth understanding of the previously mentioned subjects. Theses combined experiences were to prepare us for our ASCP board examinations,” Sadeiah said.

GMercyU’s program provided a very immersive experience to prepare students to be able to be successful in high acuity clinical settings immediately upon graduation.

Sadeiah was also an active member of the campus community. She was inducted into the of the National Society of Leadership and Success and is a member of Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri Alpha) National Honor Society. She was also a student member of four professional organizations: The American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS), the Society of Forensic Toxicologists (SOFT), the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), and the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).

Internship Experience

In addition to her academic, clinical, and campus experiences, Sadeiah was a Forensic Toxicology Intern with The Center for Forensic Science Research & Education in summer 2025 and is now a Research Assistant with the Center.

The knowledge gained at GMercyU was instrumental in my success in securing these internships. I had done my best to secure internships that will serve me well in the future and provide me with a better understanding of what career I wanted.

There, she learned about Novel Psychoactive Substances and emerging illicit substances that are proliferative in the state and country and gained hands-on laboratory experience with toxicological instrumentation. She also toured other forensic and drug investigative laboratories and forensic scientists and other specialists from across the country and even from overseas.

At the end of our cohort, Sadeiah and other interns took part in a mock trial with their respective program coordinators, testifying as an “expert witness” about their cases and the scientific analysis that they conducted over the weeks of our internship.

Through this internship, Sadeiah fostered professional connections with the staff which led to her being offered the position as a research assistant. As a research assistant, Sadeiah has been helping with research, conference preparation, and lab administration.

Post-Graduation Plans

Ahead of graduating in May 2026, Sadeiah applied and has been accepted into graduate programs in both forensic science and forensic toxicology as well as a Pathologist’s Assistant master’s program.

None of that would have been possible without the educational and influential experiences gained at this university.

Once she takes her ASCP board certification and starts working as a full-time MLS, Sadeiah plans on continuing with her graduate education and advancing in her MLS career with her long-term goal of earning a a PhD, conduct research, and hopefully make meaningful contributions in her field.

She also plans to continue advocating for MLS programs/careers to help grow this incredible (but somewhat unknown) field in healthcare.

Medical Laboratory Science is a rewarding major that offers significant career opportunities immediately after graduation. Your courses on [GMercyU’s] campus will prepare you for your clinical year at any of the affiliated programs. The program is designed to give you a leg up over many other stem-based programs with the providing an significant amount of clinical experience upon completion of the clinical year/graduation.