February 16, 2026
Linda Blaser
Excellence on the ice and in the lab for Holly Kiernan ’26
On a recent Saturday night, Holly Kiernan ’26 was exactly where you’d expect a senior hockey player to be—on the ice, under pressure, with the game on the line.
In overtime against Trine University on January 24, the Foresters needed one moment of brilliance. Kiernan delivered it. Her goal sealed the win. It was the kind of moment student-athletes dream about: decisive, electric, unforgettable.
A few days later, in a much quieter setting, another moment arrived—this one via email. Opening a message from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), Kiernan learned she had been selected as one of just 15 students nationwide for induction into Chi Omega Lambda, the ASBMB National Honor Society—one of the highest distinctions for undergraduates in the molecular life sciences.
Two very different moments. One extraordinary week. And one student who embodies what it means to thrive at Lake Forest College.
Kiernan is a four-year varsity women’s hockey player, a biochemistry and molecular biology and neuroscience double major, and a scholar with a 4.0 GPA. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa as a junior, named a Richter Scholar, and is currently completing a senior thesis focused on Parkinson’s disease mechanisms—all while competing at the highest level of collegiate athletics.
“Holly has and continues to be an amazing example of the student-athlete,” said Head Women’s Hockey Coach Amy Budde ’19. “Her determination, dedication, and effort show up every day—whether it’s in practice, in a game, or in moments like that overtime goal.”
Faculty see the same drive in the lab and classroom. Disque D. and Carol Gram Deane Professor of Neuroscience and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Shubhik DebBurman calls Kiernan’s selection to the ASBMB Honor Society a national-level achievement that reflects years of focused research, curiosity, and leadership. The honor recognizes not only academic excellence, but also research accomplishments and outreach—both hallmarks of Kiernan’s work at Lake Forest.
“Division III athletics is the perfect home for a consummate scholar athlete like Holly,” DebBurman said. “When I first met Holly as a high school senior, I was struck by the intensity of her passion for research and hockey. She had already excelled at balancing the rink and the lab during high school, so I knew Lake Forest was right for her. In the past three years in my Parkinson’s disease research lab, she compromised neither as she developed into an outstanding young researcher that designs and conducts experiments already at the graduate level.”
Serving as the College’s ASBMB Chapter advisor as well as Kiernan’s academic advisor and research mentor, DebBurman officially nominated her. This year, Kiernan earned two national recognitions from ASBMB: an Undergraduate Research Award last summer supporting her senior thesis, and now membership in the prestigious honor society, which selects only the top research- and service-driven BMB undergraduate scholars in the nation, DebBurman said.
“Being able to be a student-athlete has been a wonderful avenue to challenge myself and be a part of something greater than myself.”
For Kiernan, these achievements aren’t about choosing between passions. They’re about pursuing all of them fully.
“Being able to be a student-athlete has been a wonderful avenue to challenge myself and be a part of something greater than myself,” Kiernan said. “I’ve been able to have my teammates and coaches as support systems and help me accomplish my goals on the ice and in the lab. My professors have helped me to stay focused on my studies and the value of the holistic student experience, far beyond the rink and classroom.”
The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology represents more than 11,000 scientists worldwide and has shaped discovery in the molecular life sciences for more than a century.