Major: Biology (Pre-Professional Medicine Track)

Hometown: Calendonia, Minnesota

Year: Sophomore

“One of the people who has made the biggest difference in my time at Viterbo is Gwendolyn Mahoney. She’s a year ahead of me in the STEM department and was my orientation leader when I first arrived. She helped me adjust to college in so many ways and has been there for me whenever I needed her. Honestly, the transition would have been much harder without her. Now, I get to pay that forward as an Orientation Leader myself. 

I’m majoring in biology on the pre-professional medicine track because research has always interested me, and my ultimate goal is to attend medical school and become a doctor. What motivates me is wanting to make my family proud but also proving that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. 

Outside of class, I stay busy as part of the volleyball team and STEM Club, and I also work as a tour guide and Orientation Leader. I chose Viterbo because I wanted a smaller campus where I could study something that interested me while also building connections with peers and professors. The welcoming community and small classes have helped me find those connections, and Viterbo truly feels like home now. 

To me, “education with purpose” means that learning is more than just trying to pass a test—it’s about understanding and applying what’s being taught in ways that prepare you for your future, and Viterbo provides the environment to do exactly that.”