College of St. Scholastica: Students Nancy and Laura Wilson

Nancy (left) and Laura Wilson, junior Occupational Therapy majors from Chippewa Falls, Wisc.

Did you plan to stick together for college, or did it just work out that way?
Laura: No, we just knew we were interested in some of the same things and looked at schools that had the right programs. It struck us that St. Scholastica has strong health science programs and a cadaver lab...
Nancy: So we toured the campus and did the overnight, and this just felt like the right place. We were thinking PT (Physical Therapy) or OT (Occupational Therapy); we wanted a school that offered them both and was known for its health science programs.

Do people give you a hard time because you’re together so much?
Laura: People who know us well know that we have very different personalities...
Nancy: ...with different interests.
Laura: I’m more reserved; Nancy’s way more outgoing. As far as careers, I hope to work with hands, and splinting and post-op work.
Nancy: I want to be in a neonatal unit of a hospital or a pediatric therapy unit.

What about internships in your major?
Laura: There are a lot of opportunities to go to different places and different settings.
Nancy: I did volunteer shadow hours at Turning Point Therapy and at home in Chippewa Falls in a pediatric therapy unit.

What has surprised you about St. Scholastica?
Nancy: The community feel. Our sister went to (a flagship public university of the Upper Midwest) and we heard a lot about her experiences...
Laura: ...and we came here and it was completely different. Activities that are easy to join, being able to talk to faculty if you need to, working through any issues that come up. It’s just a different world from what she experienced.

The thing people don’t know about Duluth?
Laura: The parks! I really do enjoy all the parks and the natural beauty. Right across the street from campus, Chester Bowl is great. It’s unbelievable, really, how many good parks there are right in the city.

What do you appreciate now about St. Scholastica that you didn’t used to?
Nancy: The small classes, the personal approach of the professors knowing you, and being able to talk to them whenever you need to.
Laura: The volunteering for the community that the college does, like on community day, the social justice work.... There’s so much you can get into.
Nancy: I’m a member of College Democrats and was able to be part of the Obama campaign. We got to see President Obama, Hillary Clinton and Al Franken.

Favorite prof? And why?
Laura: Dr. James Crane (assistant professor of English). I had him for two courses, actually — First Year Composition and Intro to Fiction — and I just learned so much from him. I learned how to write for college, really. I hated writing before. He uses lots of discussion, lots of feedback on papers and just shows you how to improve. He encouraged meeting one-on-one to discuss the papers and writing style.
Nancy: Dr. C (Dr. Gerald Cizadlo, professor of biology). He’s always willing to help and answer questions. The way he lectures, he makes sure that everybody understands. He breaks down complex ideas and facts, and gives you real-life examples of things that you’d see in the field. He makes everything in physiology and anatomy very hands-on.

Best advice for high school students on choosing a college?
Nancy: If you visit during the summer go back in the fall, and also do an overnight.
Laura: In summer you don’t really see what it’s like with the students on campus. During the school year you can go to classes, stay overnight with students in the dorms, really get a feel for what it’s like. That’s what we did and we're happy with the outcome.