From time to time, we like to showcase a new SNC grad who’s entered the workplace or grad school. Success stories like these are pretty common. In fact, 95 percent of SNC's Class of 2022 alumni who responded to a survey said they were employed, in grad school or doing service work within nine months of graduating.

Hometown: Green Bay, Wis.
Graduation year: 2018
Degree: Bachelor of Science (biology)
Plans after graduation: Olivia began attending University of Wisconsin medical school in Fall 2019.

How did you decide to come to St. Norbert?

It was pretty clear to me where I wanted to go. I grew up in Green Bay and went to Notre Dame Academy. I looked at a few schools, but this campus felt like home not-so-far-from home. I feel that on a college campus, you’re as far away from your family as you want to be, and I was able to find that distance when I needed it.

When I applied, I knew the Medical College of Wisconsin was establishing its regional campus here, and I thought about how cool it would be to learn from faculty who were also teaching there, and seeing medical students going back and forth … I thought it would be a constant source of motivation and inspiration.

Who helped you on your college journey?

Before I even started school, my admission counselor, Eric Wagner, was great to work with. He was opening doors for me, giving me a glimpse into the soon-to-open science building, with all its great resources. He took the initiative to call me and ask me to come meet with professors and students, and really helped get me involved and form relationships right off the bat. He even set up a meeting for me with Prof. Anderson (Biology) to see the cadaver lab!

Eric stressed to me the one-on-one experience here, and I certainly experienced that. It was so exciting to me to be in a place that was so progressive and changing.

All the faculty are fantastic. Prof. Bailey (Biology) was my advisor; he was really great with helping me pick classes and he was always willing to talk and calm me down when I was freaking out about one thing or another. He helped with honest opinions. He didn’t hold back, but he was very kind and compassionate when he was giving me feedback. Prof. Anderson was wonderful. I was her teaching assistant for a couple of years. She became a great resource not only for school but personally. Her passion for teaching her students was something I’d never seen before. You could just tell how excited she was in the lab and classroom. Getting in and dissecting with us and jumping up and down when we found a structure we were looking for! She’s just phenomenal.

Anything else that stands out about your academic experience?

It’s really cool being on a smaller campus. Different research labs will help out other labs if they’re particularly skilled in a technique the other lab wants to use. For instance, Prof. Bailey was working on a project with his birds, and he reached out to his colleague Prof. Feirer’s (Biology) lab to arrange for their students to collaborate. It’s a very cohesive learning community here.

What about life outside the classroom?

I took a term abroad in Toledo, Spain. I loved it. I actually went back and visited my host family the next summer. I did not major or minor in Spanish. I was more interested in the skill of being able to learn Spanish and travel.

I did TRIPS, the alternative spring-break service experience. I went all four years. I went to two different children’s hospitals in the U.S., and went to Nicaragua twice on medical mission trips. I led the trip my senior year. It was cool to take my Spanish skills abroad.

I was also involved in Best Buddies. It’s a newer organization that was started at Georgetown that fosters relationships with individuals with developmental disabilities. We partner with Syble Hopp School; they have quite a few college-age students. Our students invite their buddy to sports events, make them feel they’re having the same experience as their peers – helping them integrate, create friendships and be in a community where they don’t feel like they’re being singled out.

Any last thoughts about your SNC experience?

I wish I could do it all over again. I loved it here!