Like most Oles, junior Biology and Mathematics student Emily Olson keeps herself very busy through her involvement in many student organizations on campus. Olson is especially passionate about organizations that deal with issues related to healthcare such as the Pre-Med Club, St. Olaf Cancer Connection (SCC) and Northfield Hospital Volunteers. Needless to say, Olson holds leadership roles in all the organizations in which she is involved.
As a co-president of the Pre-Med Club, one of her roles is to lead events that host various speakers and organize healthcare-related discussions. She says this year they started volunteering together in the retirement community and organizing a mentor program. Aside from organizing events for the Pre-Med Club, Olson is the vice-president of SCC, which facilitates the Gift Drive for Ronald McDonald House, and plans the Relay for Life in the spring. Not only is she involved in these organizations, Olson also takes the time to participate in the Ole Spring Relief during her spring break with other Oles.
Olson truly believes St. Olaf’s motto for students to “lead lives of service” is why she is very passionate in doing service work for any cause. One of the great things about attending a liberal arts college like St. Olaf is that they open up so many opportunities for students to enjoy the experience of being a college student rather thanjust looking at textbooks all day.
Besides leading many organizations on campus, Olson does intramural soccer, loves reading, drinking coffee and listening to jazz music. A few of her passions include learning about medicine, researching healthcare improvement and encouraging other people to find what they’re passionate about.
One of Olson’s biggest accomplishment is receiving the St. Olaf’s Emerging Leaders Award last spring. She adds though that she can’t take all the credit for her accomplishment because much of what she’s involved in is a team effort. A couple of Olson’s goals in the near future include enrolling in medical school for pediatrics and traveling to all seven continents!
Her advice for fellow Oles? Olson says: “Follow your passions. You’ll be most successful if you’re doing something you love. And whenever you’ve had a rough day, dance it out – the world is so much clearer after a good dance session.”