Aly Luvison on Academics

HS PR’s: XC 5K=20:06 Track 1600=5:44
College PR’s: 5K=19:51


Year: Senior
Major: Biology
High School: Eisenhower MSHS
Hometown: Sugar Grove, PA

What other Colleges were you looking at?
The only other school I was looking at other than Allegheny was SUNY Geneseo.

Why did you decide on Allegheny?
I decided on Allegheny because I really liked the personal dynamic that I felt when I came to visit. On both of my visits to Allegheny everyone was extremely friendly and very personable. At Geneseo I was not talked to by anyone. On my visits here I got to talk to Coach a couple times, many students and the advisor of the Pre-Health committee. They were all extremely helpful in explaining to me what all Allegheny had to offer and what they could do for me. Being from a really small town, Meadville made Allegheny feel more like home as well. I am more comfortable than I would be in a bigger city.

How did you go about choosing your major?
I want to be a veterinarian and I love the sciences so it is only natural to have biology as my major. I considered biochem, but chemistry is my most difficult subject and I decided that it may be a bad idea to take more than I have to. Looking back however, I have found neuroscience very interesting and wish that I would have taken more neuro courses. Neuroscience would also still allow me to fulfill my pre-health requirements.

What do you plan to do after you graduate from Allegheny?
After graduating from Allegheny I plan on taking a year off to gain more clinical experience with several veterinarians. I then plan on applying to vet school. The two schools that I am really hoping to get into are Colorado State and Cornell. Hopefully I’ll get into one of the two of those. Once in vet school I am hoping to specialize in large animal medicine, particularly equine.

How has being on a successful track and/or cross country team helped you with school?
Being on this team has taught me responsibility, leadership and time management. I have had to balance my school work while attending practices and going away on weekends to compete. I think that it has really made me stay focused. I have also been very successful due to my hard work on this team and it feels really good to have your hard work and efforts pay off.

What unique opportunities have you had through attending Allegheny (internships, research, etc...)?
When you apply to an internship and the people interviewing you see that you are at Allegheny on your resume it says something…Allegheny has a great reputation and it will really help you out. You get a certain amount of respect right off the bat. Allegheny also prepares you in ways that you might not recognize at first. I have been complemented on my speaking abilities at my veterinary internship. I learned much of my public speaking skills through Allegheny. You also become more independent and confident. I have spent the past two summers in Rochester at the Genesee Valley Equine Clinic as a veterinary assistant. I have been given many responsibilities at my job and have learned so much that will make entry into vet school much easier.