Louisa Colucci ' 22

Name: Louisa Colucci

Year of Grad: 2022 

Major: MS Health Sciences

Minor: Biology

Hometown: Saco, Maine

Organizations/Extracurricular Activities:

Is there a particular opportunity you've gotten to experience as a Husson student that you're grateful for?

I'm currently working on my capstone in the Health Sciences program. I've been partnering with a doctoral student at the University of Maine on a research project. We are running an experiment together and observing the effects of broccoli on mice with colitis. We're determining if microbial enzymes from the mouse gut are able to convert phytonutrients from cruciferous vegetables into bioactive molecules with anti-inflammatory effects. I plan to present my capstone at the Husson Research Fair in April. We plan on writing two papers and presenting our findings at research symposiums throughout the summer. I plan to apply for medical school. That has been my goal ever since I can remember and I've never deviated from it. I knew I wanted to work in medicine from a young age, so the fact that I've been given this opportunity is really cool. It will definitely be a great experience to put on my applications.

Do you feel like Husson has well prepared you for your future career?

I definitely think so, yeah. All of the professors and instructors in the Health Sciences program are very helpful. Whenever I ask them a question, they never shut me down. They are always eager to help me and other students. Emails are answered quickly and their doors are always open. I think it's great that Husson is getting the Pre-Med track started. It'll be helpful for future students who want to pursue a career in the field of medicine.

I also go to volunteer at the Red Cross as a blood donor ambassador to meet my community service requirement. I got to greet the blood donors as they came in and helped make sure their experience was as pleasant as possible. I enjoyed my time there but it also helped me realize that phlebotomy probably isn't right for me. I've always been interested in radiology. I think, for now, that's the end goal but I am open to different possibilities.

What advice would you give someone getting ready to start college?

I would say to enjoy your time. Take advantage of opportunities to have fun because it really does go by fast. I feel like just yesterday I was a freshman moving into Carlisle, and now, here I am, getting ready to graduate. College can be stressful, but don't overthink it and appreciate your time here while you can.