Hannah Gurholt ’21

What drew you to Lake Forest College?
Initially, I was attracted by the great academic programs and research opportunities, more specifically, the Richter Scholar program. The small class sizes and 1:1 time with professors was extremely appealing to me given my known learning style. Once I stepped on campus, I felt an overwhelming feeling that LFC was a fitting community. I automatically bonded with my counselors, hosts and a professor in the biology dept. After spending just a few hours on campus, I felt that I already had a support system waiting for me at the college.

Have you had experiences here—besides your classes—that have helped prepare you for your future?
There have been many opportunities at Lake Forest College that have prepped me for the future. One of the most influential experiences I have had so far has been my opportunity to conduct research every summer since my freshman year as a Richter Scholar. Being able to make my own independent research project has been incredibly rewarding because it challenged me to formulate hypotheses, collect data, run statistical analyses, and finally to present my research at a national conference.

In addition to this, my professor also helped me secure an internship during Spring of 2019 at the Wildlife Discovery Center (WDC). Interning at the WDC allowed me to work with rescued exotic animals. I developed so much appreciation and respect for these incredible animals. Not only that, but I was also able to educate visitors about the animals and our conservation efforts. This opportunity would not have been possible without the help and support of my professors in the Biology Department.

How are you handling the sudden change and transition to online learning?
After getting over the initial shock of everything, I have been adjusting to the new environment and schedule pretty well. All of my professors have been incredibly understanding and supportive in this time of uncertainty. We are all working through this as a team, so I think it’s brought a lot of my classes closer together. My friends and I try to facetime and eat lunch together a few times a week, which has also helped with the transition.

What do you do in your free time (before the COVID-19 pandemic)?
When I was back on campus, I spent a lot of my free time walking and hanging out at the lake with my friends. My friend and I also liked to take the train to neighboring cities around Chicago and visit different coffee shops.

What are your plans after graduation?
After graduation I am planning to go to grad school to get my PhD in an area of Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation. After that, I am hoping to become a professor at a small liberal arts school similar to Lake Forest College.

Any advice for new Foresters?
Embrace your time on campus! Four years really flies by quick! I feel like just yesterday I was committing to Lake Forest and now I just have one semester left before I become an alum. Take advantage of the small class sizes and talk to your professors. Challenge yourself to become the best version of yourself. You have a copious amount of students, staff, and faculty that are rooting you on so run with it!

What has been your favorite memory at Lake Forest College?
I have had a lot of great memories at the college, but I think the one that has stuck with me the most was new student orientation. Working in admissions, I was able to meet a lot of prospective students so when the time came around for them to start life as a Forester, seeing them moving into the dorms and starting their life at the college was really special. After the Matriculation Ceremony, the new students were greeted by a lot of current students and I remember the environment was just so positive. That moment of seeing Foresters, both new and current, will definitely stick with me for years to come.

Parting words?
Stay positive through everything that is going on around us right now. Since visiting campus isn’t really an option right now, I would love to serve as an added resource if any of you have questions (gurholthl@lakeforest.edu)! Please don’t hesitate to reach out! We’ll get through this and soon enough we’ll all be back on campus together soon.