Mickalya Kowalski looks back on her four years at Northern Kentucky University and thinks of one word: supportive.
It all started when the Harrison, Ohio native was recruited to play soccer here. The university wasn’t on her radar, but all it took was one visit to change her mind.
“I was very surprised with everything the university had to offer—both academically and athletically,” she says. “The soccer coaches made me feel welcomed and wanted, and they assured me that the faculty would be the same way. I knew that this would be a supportive, challenging and fulfilling environment that I could succeed in. I happily chose NKU as my home for the next four years.”
Kowalski enrolled at NKU as a
biological sciences major with a minor in
chemistry.
Even though Kowalski began her first semester on Zoom and in online classes, she could feel the difference in the faculty, just like her soccer coaches assured her.
“I knew that the professors cared about me as a person and wanted me to succeed,” she says. “Every faculty member and professor were so helpful in any questions I had about anything.”
Kowalski enjoyed the tight-knit science community and immediately get involved in different areas on campus, where she connected with her classmates and developed close friendships. However, Kowalski found most of her support in her research mentor, Dr. Christine Curran.
“She has been a crucial and integral part of my time here at NKU. I first joined her lab the summer after my freshman year, and I have been supported by her ever since,” she says. “She has cared about me as a student, researcher, athlete, and a person. She has always invested her time in my development to ensure I can succeed in my goals, and she has not only done this for me but for countless other students as well. She is the busiest women I have ever met, but she always finds time for what is important and to create a genuine connection with each of her students. I have been so fortunate to have her in my corner for the past three years. Without Dr. Curran, I would not have developed the passion I have for science and research. I will forever be so thankful for her mentorship in my life throughout my college career.”
Kowalski’s love for research and being in the lab led her on a trip to Salt Lake City, where she and her research group attended the national Society of Toxicology (SOT) meeting. She listened to panels, met new people and learned about careers in toxicology. She also presented a poster for the first time during the conference about a research project she had been working on. It was a great networking experience, she says.
When Kowalski wasn’t juggling a full-time course load and chasing down answers in the research lab, she was chasing balls on the field while playing for NKU’s women’s soccer team. So it's no surprise that one of her favorite memories is when her team made it to the Horizon League Championship during her senior year.
“We had turned our previous season, in which we only won two games, into a massive comeback to compete for the Horizon League title,” she says. “Our team won when I saved the last kick, and we had secured a spot in the championship match. Ultimately, we lost against the number one seed, but the turnaround from last season and the success of making it that far was the highlight of my career.”
And now Kowalski is saying goodbye to Scudamore Field, where she spent four years dedicated to her sport.
“There has been so much personal growth that took place on that field from freshman year to senior year. I would not be the person I am today without all of the lessons I learned through soccer,” she says. “I was very fortunate to play Division I college soccer, and I am very thankful for all the support I received along the way.”
Now that her undergraduate career is coming to end and she says goodbye to Scudamore and NKU, Kowalski is chasing a new dream: becoming an eye doctor. She plans to attend optometry school at The Ohio State University in the fall.
“I am really excited for this opportunity to continue my education and further my journey on the path to becoming an eye doctor. I am not exactly sure what kind of job environment that I will be looking for but as of right now, I would love to work in a private practice setting and have the opportunity to work in vision therapy or the sports vision field as well,” she says. “I am looking forward to moving to Columbus, living in a new city, and experiencing all that the area has to offer. This will be a challenging but exciting and rewarding new chapter of my life.”
