Samantha Bowen

What made you want to come to Lewis & Clark?

I wanted to go to a small liberal arts college in Oregon or Washington that I could run at competitively. Those things were important to me because I went to a small high school—the International School of Beaverton (ISB)—and I liked the idea of liberal arts after learning about it in high school. I also wanted to stay close to my family, and running was/is important to me. My overnight visit with the cross country team is what helped me pick L&C, as I greatly enjoyed the team atmosphere and coach. I was choosing between here and another school but ultimately picked L&C because it felt more like home and was closer to summer job opportunities and internships in Portland.

What have you been doing since graduation?

I just finished my first year of medical school (to become a doctor) at Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific Northwest in Lebanon, Oregon. Prior to starting medical school I worked at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) as a medical scribe.

How did Lewis & Clark prepare you for medical school?

I learned how to analyze scientific literature and be curious.

What would you say is the most important thing you learned at Lewis & Clark?

Stand up for what you believe in and the changes you want to see. I found the faculty and staff to be helpful when it came to changes I wanted to see to improve the school.

How do you stay connected to Lewis & Clark as an alum?

While at L&C I worked every summer in the alumni office helping with Alumni Weekend. I loved it so much that after graduating I ended up volunteering for Alumni Weekend again in 2022! While I can’t attend this year, I hope to volunteer at more events in the future. I also keep track of the XC and track teams, running at the alumni meets, and staying in touch with other running alumni.

If you studied overseas while at Lewis & Clark, how did you choose your program? What did your overseas study add to your L&C experience?

I wanted to go on a Spanish language program because I had taken Spanish since 7th grade. I chose Seville, Spain, because I liked that all the classes were in Spanish and that the classes were just for our study abroad group from L&C. I also chose Seville because it is close to my family in the Azores (Portuguese islands), so I was able to easily visit them after my study abroad ended. My overseas experience was a highlight of my time at L&C. The classes I took were some of my favorites because they were so different from my usual science heavy schedule and challenged me in new ways. My study abroad group became close friends and I feel I grew a lot as a person and in my language skills while there. I am still friends with my host family and actually went back to visit them last summer! I would encourage everyone to study abroad if they are able to.

Biology