Growing up, Allison Fitzgerald remembers always asking “why.” Her curiosity and desire to learn eventually fueled her passion for Biology.
“I loved how all of science worked together like a puzzle,” Allison said. “It was fascinating to me how you could continue to try to put the pieces together to learn new things.”
Her interest was fostered by her high school classes and through her participation in her high school’s Project Lead the Way (PLTW) program. By the time Allison began looking at colleges, she knew she wanted to study Biology, but she wasn’t sure where. She ultimately decided on Stevenson University after touring the campus and attending an Accepted Students’ Day.
“I chose Stevenson partly because I knew I wanted a college environment where I could feel welcomed and has a vibrant campus life full of clubs, athletics and events, as well as in-depth career and graduate school preparation,” Allison said. “I like how Stevenson prepares students beyond just the four years of college: whether through job placement or preparation for graduate school Stevenson prepares students for a future after college.”
During her years at Stevenson, Allison has been busy. As a Biology major who is also part of Stevenson’s Pre-Medical pre-professional advising track, much of Allison’s time has been spent in the labs and classrooms of Stevenson’s Beverly K. Fine School of the Sciences, learning alongside her peers and conducting research alongside experienced faculty. Allison credits all of these activities with preparing her for her future career.
“My experience within the Biology program has been outstanding,” Allison said. “Throughout the past four years, I have taken a wide variety of hands-on-labs, engaged in on-campus research, and participate in national database labs. These labs encourage independent thinking. I have also taken classes that have prepared me for my internships and beyond. The Biology program has not only provided me with the pre-requisites needed for medical school, but has helped me gain laboratory experience I can showcase and critical thinking skills I can apply to any job setting.”
Of all of these experiences, Allison considers her on-campus research with Dr. Goicochea one of the pivotal moments of her time at Stevenson. Allison and Dr. Goicochea presented their work at the 2025 Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer Research Conference.
“Most of all, I have had the privilege of working with Dr. Goicochea of the Biology department in cell culture with the goal of creating a new therapy for blood-based cancers based around natural killer cells,” Allison said. “Stevenson offering on-campus research is itself an amazing opportunity, but getting to research with Dr. Goicochea has been a highlight of my Stevenson career. My success with that experience encouraged me to pursue an additional research opportunity at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. I believe I qualified for this because of the knowledge and hands-on skills I learned at Stevenson.”
Allison is also enrolled in Stevenson’s Bachelor to Master’s Option. The program allows Stevenson undergraduate students to complete their master’s degree online in just one extra year. Students in Stevenson’s online bachelor’s to master’s programs can earn up to 50% of the credits for their graduate degree while still an undergraduate and at the same cost as undergraduate credits, saving students time and money. After earning her Master’s in Healthcare Management from Stevenson, Allison plans to apply to medical school and become a physician.
“Beyond Stevenson, I will be applying to medical school with the ultimate goal of becoming a physician,” Allison said. “I would love to go into pediatric immunology. I have always been passionate about immunology and have only become more interested in the field after my experiences in an immunology class and conducting research at Stevenson.“
In addition to her busy academic life, Allison threw herself into campus life and has also been active in the community. She is a student-athlete on the Women’s Swimming team, served as president of Stevenson’s Student Government Association (SGA), is a member of the Leadership Scholars program, provides tours to prospective students and their families as a student ambassador, served as treasurer of the First Responders Club, is a member of the Phi Sigma Sigma sorority, and volunteers as an EMT in the community.
“By being involved on campus in clubs, athletics, and on-campus employment, I have grown and developed my leadership skills,” Allison said. “But, also, as a member of this campus, I can confidently say Stevenson has been my home over the past four years.”
Asked about her advice for students considering studying Biology or enrolling in the Pre-Medical program at Stevenson, or both, Allison encourages students to keep their minds open, follow their passions, and develop relationships with their professors.
“The first piece of advice I have for students who are considering a Biology or Pre-Medical track is to be open to new classes and experiences: whether in a lab, an elective, or other experience,” Allison said. “You may surprise yourself by finding a new passion or something that could ultimately shape your future career. My second piece of advice would be to utilize your professors! All of the science faculty (and any faculty on campus) are extremely supportive and want you to succeed. Don’t wait to ask questions, go to office hours, and seek out support. These are the people that will help you grow into your future career and graduate programs.”
My team is currently developing a feedback-controlled forward fall simulator to investigate fall arrest mechanics
My research is focused on falls, fall injuries, mobility, and balance and how engineering can be leveraged to solve health care problems.
