Building confidence and connections at La Salle University

As an Explorer, Katie McGovern, '26, built her confidence and a support network that encouraged her to apply to the Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's in Bioengineering.

McGovern credits the La Salle community and its supportive nature with giving her the confidence to apply for a program that felt unobtainable and encouraged all Explorers to do the same.

Katie McGovern, '26, grew up in a household that had two shared passions: La Salle University and science. She's used her time as an Explorer to gain as much as she can from both of them.

McGovern started her time at 20^th and Olney as a biology major, a subject that she's unsurprisingly always loved with a mom who is a registered nurse and a dad who works in the pharmaceutical field.

"I believe science is the basis of everything," she said. "You can't fully understand human nature, history, finance, religion, psychology, etcetera, without starting at the scientific level."

McGovern was led to La Salle by a number of things.

"I liked the presence of the Christian Brothers, the genuine sense of community, and the opportunities within the Biology Department," she said, adding that both parents and her sister are La Salle alumni.

Some of the opportunities that caught her eye were the Antibiotic Discovery Lab, a partnership between the university's Biology department and Yale University's Small World Initiative research consortium that provides freshman a chance to conduct research on antibiotic resistant pathogens, and translational science, which McGovern minors in.

The Bioengineering 4+1 program also piqued her interest.

The Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's in Bioengineering is a partnership between La Salle and the University of Pennsylvania's School of Engineering and Applied Science. Juniors majoring in natural and physical science and math programs are eligible to join and work towards their master's degree while they are undergraduates.

McGovern took advantage of this in her junior year.

"My time in the Bioengineering 4+1 program has been challenging yet rewarding, even after only one semester," she said, adding that Penn had also opened doors to new possibilities in terms of research, classes available, and professional connections.

The connections she's made, built upon ones cultivated at La Salle, are one of the highlights.

"La Salle has helped me create tight-knit connections," she said. "Penn has helped me broaden my networks beyond college."

McGovern credits the La Salle community and its supportive nature with giving her the confidence to apply for a program that felt unobtainable and encouraged all Explorers to do the same.

"La Salle has provided a wealth of opportunities that not only shaped my undergraduate experience but also inspired me to push limits and apply for the 4+1 Accelerated Master's Program that once seemed so out of reach," she said.

She added that the "solid foundation" and "incredible community of support" she found at 20^th and Olney helped her realize she can accomplish her goals, which included attending an Ivy League institution.

As well as embracing the opportunities the first drew her to La Salle, McGovern also benefited from the equally appealing sense of community.

"No one else knows what it's like to be an Explorer unless you are one, and I think that is really special and unique," she said. "It creates the ability to see someone who went to La Salle in a different environment than campus and connect over the shared experience."

Looking to the future, McGovern wants to go into the biotechnology, pharmaceutical or medical device industry, with an openness to all possibilities within them.

"Ultimately, I want to put my knowledge to use in improving the way people live," she said.

-Naomi Thomas