Mayo Clinic Fellowship Opens Doors to Passionate Gustie Researchers

At Gustavus, we want our students to gain valuable experiences on and off the field. We are so fortunate to be in an environment that allows us to gain incredible research opportunities to better prepare us to follow our passions in the classroom, and for our future. Check out this great article on scientific research opportunities at Gustavus! 

An advanced degree in the sciences takes years in the making, and at Gustavus, it often begins with undergraduate research. This summer, eight Gustie students were selected for the 2022 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) at Mayo Clinic. They conducted groundbreaking research at one of the country’s leading medical centers.

“It was great to see so many Gustavus students and have someone in my corner,” said Katie Lillemon ’24, a biochemistry and molecular biology major who lived in Rochester, MN, with two fellow Gusties during the program. “The fact that this opportunity has been made available to so many Gusties is just awesome.”

Lillemon, who was accepted to the Virology & Gene Therapy department, spent her summer studying how COVID-19 infects infects cardiovascular cells. Other research areas included bioengineering, immunology, and neuroscience.

Lillemon began her journey as an undergraduate researcher through the First-Year Research Experience (FYRE) Program at Gustavus, which helped her make the leap to research at a large institution. Working with professors and fellow students in FYRE taught her valuable lessons that transferred well to the larger stage of Mayo Clinic research. For instance, she said, “It’s really important to plan everything out and establish good teamwork, because science doesn’t get anywhere without collaboration.”

“Establishing connections makes a huge difference,” said Ashley Ley ’23, who conducted research on prostate cancer cells in the clinic’s biochemistry department. During her ten weeks at Mayo, she also networked with research professors and PhD students, and even sat down for a one-on-one conversation with a former Mayo Clinic dean who gave her advice on applying to graduate school.

“Everyone said the most important thing is to be prepared. And remember that institutions are investing in a person, not just a researcher, so talk about your interests and passions.”

For both Ley and Lillemon, their passion for answering fundamental questions about our world stretches back to childhood. While Ley endeavored to understand the ins and outs of her family’s dairy farm, Lillemon poured over microscope slides from her mother’s lab.

When they discovered that their natural curiosity could turn into a career path, everything shifted. “I just have lots of questions,” said Lillemon, “and having a career where your job is to answer life’s biggest questions is so exciting to me. We get to discover things every day.”

“I can do this forever!” said Ley, a biochemistry & molecular biology and chemistry double major. “I can ask a question and then do something to figure it out. And it’s an amazing way to give back, because the research you do ultimately will help people.”

Last summer, Ley landed a research fellowship at the University of Iowa after connecting with a researcher during a Gustavus chemistry seminar. Despite having experience at another large research lab, Ley found she still had much to learn at Mayo. “Every lab is run differently,” she explained. “Still, my summer experiences have helped me feel more prepared and more confident in my ability to work in a professional lab setting.”

When it comes to a career in the sciences, Gustavus students are at an advantage because they are encouraged to develop interests outside their majors. “Schoolwork gets exhausting, and after a certain amount of time, I need a break,” said Ley, who’s also minoring in music. “Having music to turn to as an outlet is huge for me.”

That liberal arts background, combined with an array of research opportunities, leaves Gusties prepared to take on the challenges of an ever-evolving field.

“We discover things every day,” said Lillemon. “We have so many resources available for us to discover the world; it’s such a privilege. It makes me excited to think about the future.”

2022 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows:
Tessa Bierbaum ’23, biology
Kade Copple ’24, biochemistry & molecular biology
Kimberly Hareland ’24, biochemistry & molecular biology and chemistry
Ashley Ley ’23, biochemistry & molecular biology and chemistry
Katie Lillemon ’24, biochemistry & molecular biology
Angel Obiorah ’24, chemistry
Blake Power ’23, biochemistry & molecular biology
Annabel Smith ’24, biochemistry & molecular biology

For Ley, Lillemon, and their cohort, this summer research experience was made possible through the Gilyard Peterson Scholarship, established by Tim Peterson ’83 in honor of his friend, Scott Gilyard ’83, who died of leukemia in 2021.

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Media Contact: Director of Media Relations and Internal Communication Luc Hatlestad
luch@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510

MIAC, Here We Come!

Your Gusties took off on the road again, but this time, went to Iowa and Wisconsin for two very competitive non-conference games. We battled hard to a 1-1 draw vs. a hard-nosed Dubuque team, and came up just short vs. Eau Claire. Although, not the result, we had hoped for, we were incredibly proud of our effort and execution of our gameplan. While the crossbar and post denied us a couple times, our high press was lights out, we created multiple dangerous opportunities, and our Gustie Tempo was on fire! Check out the full Eau Claire game write up below, to see how bright your Gusties shined!

The Gustavus women’s soccer team entered Sunday’s non-conference competition against UW-Eau Claire still undefeated on the 2022 season, with two of three wins coming in comeback fashion.

Each time they had fallen behind by a goal, the Gusties were able to recover with a goal of their own. Unfortunately, that comeback streak had to end at some point, as the Blugolds dealt the Gusties their first loss of the season, 1-0.

The Gusties were given a chance to take the lead early, as Kirsten Poppen (So., Verona) was awarded a penalty kick just 13 minutes into the first half. Poppen’s shot would sail left of the goal, and UW-Eau Claire’s defense would stifle the Gusties for the remainder of the game.

“Soccer is an unforgiving sport at times and we saw that today,” said Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie. “We played an exceptional first half, hit two posts and a crossbar throughout the game and impressed with our high press and movement off the ball. We are proud of the team and, despite the score line, made great adjustments and improvident from Friday.”

After managing just one shot attempt in the game’s first 50 minutes, the Blugolds were able to put one past Claire Hemstock (Jr., North Mankato) in the final 20 minutes of regulation, as Amanda Iverson netted her first of the season off of an assist from Megan Hansen.

While the Gusties held the shot advantage, 9-3, UW-Eau Claire goalkeeper Kennedy Boll was flawless between the pipes, posting a two-save shutout.

“We walked away from today with confidence in ourselves and know the potential this group has. We are excited to start conference play on Wednesday.”

The Gusties (3-1-1 overall) return to MIAC action on Wednesday, hosting their first conference game of the season for a 4 p.m. showdown against St. Scholastica.

Back at HOME!

 While, we had a great time in California, getting to know each other better, exploring the LA area, and playing two fantastic games, we were eager to get back to St. Peter, MN! We were feeling confident yesterday, and started the game off hot, by immediately converting opportunities into goals! This was a great team win for everyone, and we are going to keep pushing forward! 

It had been 25 years since the Gustavus women’s soccer team started its season with three consecutive wins.

That all changed this Wednesday, as the Gusties dominated Bethany Lutheran by a score of 6-0 in their 2022 home opener.

The scoring started early in the first half, as Lauren Rocheford (Fy., Inver Grove Heights) picked up her first collegiate goal off of a pass from Molly Waters (Sr., Lakeville) just one minute into the game.

Cambelle Waldspurger (Fy., Mahtomedi) would add the second of the game and the third of her career — and third in as many games — just one day after being named MIAC Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week.

And the Gusties would not stop there.

Lillian Selberg (So., Minneapolis) netted the third goal of the game, off of a pass from Alexis Lin (Albuquerque, N.M.) for Selberg’s first goal of the year and Lin’s first collegiate point. Gabby Rodriguez (So., Waseca) rounded out the total at four in the first 45 minutes — equaling the Gusties’ total goals on the season, in just the first half.

The Gusties would go on to add two more tallies, one from Jordan Oelkers (So., Byron) — a collegiate first — and the final blow off the foot of Annika Lewis (Sr., Hudson, Wis.) for her first goal of the season.

The trio of Gustie goalkeepers split the shutout, with Abby Goodno (Sr., Little Canada) facing the Vikings in the first half, followed by shutout performances from Claire Hemstock (Jr., North Mankato) and Justine Holm (Sr., Shakopee), with Holm facing all three of the Vikings’ shots on goal.

“Today was a super fun game and team win. It was incredible to play all 31 players while maintaining control of the game,” said Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie on her team’s convincing performance. “We wanted to start strong, focus on the little details and continue to build our trust and interchanging positions on the field.”

“To get on the scoreboard with six different goal scorers, with six different assisters is something special. We are excited to see our continued development and are ready for two more tough games this weekend.”

The Gusties are back in action Sept. 9, for a 7 p.m. away contest against Dubuque, followed by another non-conference showdown against UW-Eau Claire on Sept. 11.

Starting Off 2022 with a Bang!

After a FANTASTIC preseason, your Gusties headed out to California to execute what we've been working on! Check out the full write up of a truly exciting game below!

While Chapman was on the board first, the Gusties dominated the second half en route to a 2-1 non-conference victory over the Panthers.

Chapman’s Lily Jose opened the scoring for the game, netting one past Gustie goalkeeper Abby Goodno (Sr., Little Canada) following a shot off the foot of Emma Harper.

Staring at a 1-0 deficit after the first half, the Gusties erupted for a pair of second half goals that would prove to be enough to bring them to victory.

“We went a goal down, but kept our heads up and kept pushing forward,” said Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie. And pushed forward they did.

Ellen Becken (So., Prior Lake) netted the first goal of the season — and the first of her collegiate career — to tie the game just three minutes into the second half. Lauren Rocheford (Fy., Inver Grove Heights) picked up her first and second collegiate point, assisting both Gustie goals.

Cambelle Waldspurger (Fy., Mahtomedi) wasted no time adding to the tally, beating Panther goalkeeper Maia Mills for her first collegiate goal in her first collegiate game — just seven minutes after Becken’s goal.

“Our first goal was an unbelievable team goal with a fantastic build up and finish. We fed off that adrenaline and had another great goal to take the lead.”

The Gusties would maintain that lead thanks to a second half shutout from Goodno, who made eight saves in the team’s first victory of the season, seven of which came in the second half.

“It was a great team win, with every player on the team playing a huge role. We showed the West Coast what true team camaraderie looks like with our bench as the backbone. It was a great start to the season!”

The Gusties are back in action on Saturday, heading to Thousand Oaks, Calif. for a 7 p.m. non-conference game against Cal Lutheran.