Maggie Thom
Maggie Thom
Class Year
’25
Hometown
Rochester, Minnesota
Major(s)
Neuroscience
Minor(s)
Chemistry
Maggie Thom ’25, a recipient of the Carthage Highest Honors Scholarship, chose Carthage not only for its academics and athletics programs, but also for its small class sizes and the relationships she is able to build with professors and other students. “I chose Carthage because it felt like the right fit,” she said. “The academics and athletics are what I was looking for. I wanted to go somewhere with small class sizes so I could get to know my professors and classmates.”
As a major in neuroscience with a minor in chemistry, Maggie has been able to work in a lab, pursue unique research opportunities, and study abroad. Some of her favorite memories on campus also include celebrating with her teammates on the women’s soccer team.
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Faculty mentors
“The faculty at Carthage have helped me find opportunities I didn’t know were available. Having a good relationship with your professors will only benefit you. I have gotten involved in research just by reaching out to see if there were openings. Your professors want you to succeed and are always willing to help if you ask.”
Favorite class
“My favorite class has been Neuroscience Research Methods. For the lab, we are involved in the rat lab and get to help run experiments. We also work with brain tissue, which I thought was super cool!”
Toughest class
“My hardest class has been Genetics. It involves a lot of independent studying and information to grasp.”
Campus involvement
“I am on the women’s soccer team. I am also the vice president of the Pre-Health Club and a member of the Neuroscience Club”
Golden opportunities
“I am involved in research with Professor Sarah Terrill. We collect and stain tissue to look at different brain structures. This past January, I was able to go on the Honduras J-Term study tour. This was an amazing experience! We got to scuba dive for a week before going to Copan and learning about the history of the area.”
Internships or campus employment
“I am the department fellow for the Neuroscience Department. One of my roles for this is to manage the rat lab. I make the schedule for the other student lab assistants, help prepare the lab for classes, and make chemical solutions.”
Favorite spot on campus
“My favorite spot is probably behind The Tower. We play sand volleyball and spike ball when it is nice outside, and there is always something going on. My favorite spot to study is the basement of the Hedberg Library.”
Favorite memory
“Some of my favorite memories so far are with my friends. Last year, everyone would go to the beach once the weather got nice. There was one weekend that so many people from school went, and everyone was playing spike ball and enjoying the nice weather. Another favorite moment of mine was when my teammate scored a goal with five seconds left to win a game. Our entire team was cheering and celebrating, and this is a very happy memory that I have.”
Biggest surprise
“The biggest surprise has been how much I have enjoyed some of my chemistry classes. I did not like chemistry in high school, but I really like the classes I have taken so far. The labs are also very interesting, and we get to do a lot of fun experiments.”
Advice for other students in your major?
“Some advice would be to try to go outside your comfort zone. The lab is lots of fun and a great experience if you’re willing to put yourself out there!”