Her Biology Classwork Landed Her a Job in Medical Work

She went from doing ministry work on campus to doing medical research in St. Louis.

Caroline Cunningham from Saint Charles, Mo., graduated from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, summa cum laude this May, at the top of her class, as a biology major.

“After graduation, I will be working as a medical assistant for Veritas Fertility and Surgery in St. Louis,” she said.

“I am most excited about helping women struggling with fertility find holistic options of treatment that deals with underlying medical causes instead of simply prescribing birth control or recommending IVF,” she said. “There seems to be a great need in our community for avenues of truly pro-life fertility treatments.”

Her classes prepared her well for life after college, she said.

“I think Anatomy & Physiology, Christian Bioethics, and Spirituality in Healthcare have been the most helpful classes in preparing for this job. I have learned so much, not only about the body, but also about the vocation behind medicine and how important our Catholic doctrine is to the way we practice medicine.”

But Caroline said the whole Benedictine College mission of community, faith and scholarship benefited her in her work.

Her love for community-building started in her family. She told the Benedictine College student newspaper about the “intense gingerbread house making contest” in her family growing up.

Cunningham was a faith leader on campus, helping spearhead a special Eucharistic Holy Hour mini-retreat and volunteering for years with the Underground team, helping reach teens with the faith.

But scholarship was always her focus. While she earned high marks that landed her on the President’s List of high achievers, she served as a tutor. Cunningham presented original research about gene expression at Discovery Day, securing a grant for her work on “Concussions and Circadian Rhythms: Analyzing Gene Expression in Drosophila melanogaster.”

She said she wants to bring that combination of community, faith, and scholarship to her workplace to help Transform Culture in America after she graduates.

“Working with College Ministry here at Benedictine, I have learned that even the smallest acts of service and kindness can promote enormous changes in our culture,” she said. “I see this job as a way I can promote a pro-life culture through my small acts as a medical assistant. Life is such a gift, and I am so excited to be helping patients in their journey towards starting a family.”

Isabella Wilcox contributed to this report.

By Editorial Staff