Kinetic Benevolence
Lauren Beecher '18 (midair, third from right) on the volleyball court.
Lauren Beecher ’18
Lauren Beecher ’18 (biology) is a standout in the classroom, on the volleyball court and on the lacrosse field, and she also has a strong idealistic streak, and a need to help others. A John Montgomery scholar, Lauren discusses the class that inspired her to declare a major in biology, a job-shadowing experience that helped her solidify her career plans and the best advice she's received so far.
Major:
Clubs and organizations:
Women’s volleyball and lacrosse, SAAC Volleyball Representative, RAK, Alpha Lambda Delta and Office of Disability Services (note taker).
Honors/scholarships/awards:
John Montgomery Scholarship, Dean’s List, Volleyball Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll and Spring 2016 Lacrosse Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll.
Favorite book:
The Help by Kathryn Stockett.
On choosing a major:
I’ve always had a passion for science, but when I entered college, I had no idea where my path was going. I decided to go with biology, because it offered me a chance [to pursue] the most career paths that interested me. Also, the biology department at Dickinson is fantastic.
Favorite class so far:
Vertebrate Anatomy, hands down. It’s probably one of the toughest biology courses that I’ve taken thus far, but by far the most interesting. It solidified for me that anatomy and physiology are where I find my passion.
Favorite place on campus:
Rector alcoves.
Favorite Dining Hall food:
Tomato soup!
Favorite professor:
[Associate] Professor [of Biology Chuck] Zwemer. I’ve never met a professor that’s more passionate about his work and his students. I’ve now had him for two courses, and since he’s my advisor, he’s also met me outside of class to help me figure out the rest of my life. He once gave me the most important advice that I’ve yet to encounter. [He advised me to] look for a career path that makes me feel like I’m not working a day in my life.
As a kid, I wanted to be …
… a marine biologist.
Post-Dickinson plans:
Two of my biggest passions in life are sports and helping people. In the future, I hope to be able to somehow combine the two as I help others achieve their goals. I plan to attend a three-year graduate program for physical therapy after Dickinson and see where that takes me.
On job shadowing:
This past summer I shadowed at a physical-therapy (PT) and sports-medicine office called Foundation Performance. I observed PT there every week. My favorite thing about going there had to be meeting the patients and hearing their stories. They had so much appreciation for their therapist as she helped them get back on their feet and back to doing what they loved. I saw how rewarding being a physical therapist was, and it solidified for me that that that’s what I want to do.
Biggest influence:
My mother. She’s been my number-one cheerleader since day one, in both athletics and academics. The most valuable thing I’ve learned from her is to simply try everything out. You may never know you’d like something until you’ve at least tried it. She showed me this when I was younger and reluctant to try vegetables and again when she told me just try Dickinson. Now I’m in my third year at Dickinson, and I wouldn’t change it for anything.
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Published December 17, 2016