2012 Alumni Stars
Making the World a Better Place
Recent Graduate Award
Lacey Wilmot Rao ’02
An orthopedic surgeon and active community volunteer in Tucson, AZ, Lacey credited Siena Heights with some important lessons. “You don’t go to college to learn ‘things,’ you go to learn how to learn,” she said, noting how quickly things change in medicine. “The faculty at Siena do a tremendous job of teaching more than facts; they teach you how to seek knowledge. I encourage today’s students to remember that much of what we know now will change. Try to focus on refining how to think and learn, as opposed to only memorizing facts.” Her experiences as a student and athlete at SHU taught her that “working hard, knowing how to think, and working well with others will make you successful in life. But what will make you happy? The simple answer is, doing what you love and sharing your talents with the world. Choose to do the thing that excites you, that makes you feel proud of your work, and that makes you smile.”
Traci Stewart ‘02
An advance practice nurse and doctoral candidate in Northville, MI, Traci majored in biology at Siena, certain she wanted to be a doctor despite her frustration with senior research. “On a few occasions, Prof. Carl Kaster, who knew me well, mentioned there were other things I could do with a biology degree, but I had my mind set. But it turned out medical school was not for me and I did not want to be a doctor. Not until I was sitting in a research nursing class did it hit me: ‘I understand what they are talking about—this is how you use research in the real world—and I like it!’ Suddenly, all the hours spent on my senior project became useful and everything I had learned working toward my biology degree was applicable. All those experiences formed a strong foundation—strong enough to make me successful now as a nurse practitioner and in the future as I continue my work—and research!—in women’s health and health care disparities.”
