When she was a child, Emma Blackdeer liked to play surgeon. Willing friends and family members would lie down while Blackdeer pretended to make an incision and perform the necessary procedure to heal her patient.
The interest in the medical field never went away. By the time she was in high school, Blackdeer knew she wanted to be a physician and enrolled at Viterbo University as a neuroscience major with dreams of medical school. Accomplishing that lofty goal came a big step closer when she was selected as the first recipient of the Dr. Joan Gennrich ’60 Endowed Medical School Scholarship.
The scholarship will provide Blackdeer and future recipients with almost $60,000 to pursue their goal of becoming a physician. Blackdeer will receive $8,000 for her senior year at Viterbo and an estimated $12,500 for each of four years of medical school, depending on the scholarship fund’s annual earnings. She will also receive $1,000 to apply toward any future admission exam–related costs.
“I am very honored and grateful to receive this scholarship,” said Blackdeer, who would now like a career in family medicine or neurology. “It means so much to me that my professors believe in my potential to make a difference in the medical field. It continues to inspire me to keep working hard and striving toward my goals.”
A graduate of Sparta High School, Blackdeer chose to attend Viterbo after visiting campus and finding a very welcoming and supportive community. As a student, she has been active in Honors Board, STEM Club, Tri Beta, Servant Leadership Club, and the Service Saturdays program. Blackdeer also participated in the university’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program, which gives students the opportunity to conduct a significant research project while working with a faculty mentor. Blackdeer’s project covered the detection and analysis of fentanyl in the La Crosse community using wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE).
“Emma is a humble and incredibly hardworking student with the unique ability to form connections with people of all backgrounds,” said Viterbo science faculty member Chris Mayne. “I have no doubt she will be successful in her goal of becoming an outstanding physician who makes a meaningful impact on all her patients, and she is an ideal recipient for this scholarship.”
The Dr. Joan Gennrich ’60 Endowed Medical School Scholarship at Viterbo University was created with a $1.267 million gift from the estate of Dr. Gennrich, who passed away in 2020. She had designated the gift for the scholarship “in appreciation of excellent education I received at Viterbo University.”
After graduating from Viterbo with a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology in 1960, Gennrich went on to work in emergency medicine in Chicago. She founded the first freestanding emergicenter in Wisconsin and opened a second emergicenter three years later.
“Receiving this scholarship carries a special meaning because Dr. Gennrich had an inspiring journey into medicine and a lifelong commitment to patient care,” Blackdeer said. “Her mission and values motivate me to use my own medical journey to continue to serve others with the same passion and dedication. Having Dr. Gennrich as a role model for what a physician should be gives me the confidence and inspiration to continue her legacy.”