Connections with professors lead to the perfect fit for graduate school

By Addie Nabholz ’25

As a neuroscience major with minors in both psychology and leadership, Olivia Donlea ’24 had a full academic load, but that didn’t stop her from getting involved. Donlea served as the president of Nu Rho Psi, was an executive member of BRAiNS (the neuroscience club), and was a member of Phi Eta Sigma and Dance Marathon.

Donlea, originally from East Buchanan, enjoyed the community of Wartburg.

“Coming from a really small school, that community was something I valued because I got to experience it growing up,” said Donlea. “When I visited campus that was something I could almost sense, even within like one hour of being on campus, and it definitely lived up to the expectation.”

As Donlea built her community at Wartburg, she found it wasn’t just made up of other students.

 “When I got here, I was making the usual friends, but I also connected with professors. They were willing to take the time to get to know you, as a person and as a student. Not only that, but they were also interested in what you were doing after Wartburg. That has been the coolest thing,” she said.

One such professor, Dr. Samantha Larimer Bousquet, connected Donlea with former Wartburg students to help her narrow down the perfect fit for graduate school.

“Dr. Larimer is my adviser, and she always encouraged me to explore different options. Whether it was classes outside of my major or different occupations, she always encouraged me to explore,” Donlea said. “She also, along the way, provided me with so many connections. Dr. Larimer has been huge in my entire Wartburg career, and I know the things she’s done for me are going to impact the rest of my life.”

One such connection led Donlea to Duluth, Minnesota, where Donlea will head after graduation to attend graduate school at the College of St. Scholastica as a part of the two-year Master of Science in occupational therapy program. This path had not been exactly what Donlea planned.

“When I started at Wartburg, I was an exploring major. I thought maybe I wanted to do mental health counseling or people had told me I could be a good physical therapist,” said Donlea. “So, I looked into it and ended up shadowing a physical therapist. Just by chance, in that same office there was also an occupational therapist. The physical therapist went on break and let me shadow the occupational therapist. After doing that I realized I was so much more interested in occupational therapy.”

If Donlea could give one thing to her freshman self, it would be reassurance.

“It’s gonna be challenging, but it is so so worth it. Before I came to Warburg, I knew they were well known for their academics, specifically, their science program,” Donlea said. “I think it would have been nice to know that, yeah, it’s going to be really hard but you’re going to come out on the other side so much better for it and so well prepared to move onto the next phase of life.”

In fact, she got to give that reassurance to her younger sister, Lauren, when she started at Wartburg.

“I remember saying to my sister, your future employer does not really care if you got a B in that class. That doesn’t matter, it’s the growth that happens in the process that matters,” she said.

As she prepares for the next stage of her life, Donlea will always have fond memories from Wartburg.

“Some of my favorite memories, to be honest, are the times spent in the dorm room, just being with friends and having long conversations. Wartburg brought me my best friend and a group of people that I know will be lifelong friends,” said Donlea. “Whether it was sitting in the dorm room hanging out or going for ice cream runs or a Saturday night out those are the bizarre silly stories I’ll remember forever.”