As the end of the school year approaches and seniors make plans beyond King Street, four Sacred Heart Greenwich students prepare to pursue careers in medicine at their respective universities. Seniors Julia Stiker, Ainsley Clough, and Maddy Hartnett reflected on how Sacred Heart has shaped their interests and ambitions in the medical field. Each senior hopes to make a positive impact in science and healthcare in their future careers.
Julia will attend the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, where she plans to major in neuroscience and behavior. She developed a strong interest in neuroscience due to its complexity and rapid growth in the field. Julia’s fascination with the brain has driven her to seek out hands-on learning opportunities. She described how she chose to study neuroscience and highlighted the opportunities that have shaped her journey.
“Neuroscience combines so many of the things I love about science,” Julia said. “Ever since freshman year, I’ve participated in neuroscience-related classes and internships. This past summer I got to participate in a program held in an actual lab, and getting hands-on experience definitely deepened my love of science. Since I’m still not sure what exactly I want to do professionally, I’m going to explore every area of medicine I can while in college. The opportunity to improve the lives of others is something I’m drawn to, and I hope to be able to do that, whether in science or elsewhere.”
Maddy will study at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, where she plans to follow the pre-medical track. She has long dreamed of becoming a pediatric surgeon, inspired by her love of working with children and a desire to support their health and well–being. Maddy will also play lacrosse at the Division 1 (D1) level at Furman. She described the role athletics played in shaping her passion for medicine.
“I’ve played sports my whole life and seen up close how injuries can affect someone, physically and mentally,” Maddy said. “Watching teammates go through that made me realize how critical good care is and inspired me to want to be someone who can help in those moments. I’m most drawn to pediatrics, but I’m also really interested in areas like sports medicine or child psychology. I’m excited to explore different paths in college and see where it all leads.”
Ainsley plans to attend College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, where she will major in biology. Her interest in medicine began at an early age and has grown stronger over time. Her grandfather was a pediatrician, and she has fond memories of visiting his office and playing with his stethoscope. Inspired by her family and passion for helping others, Ainsley sees a career in medicine as a fulfilling path. Her experiences both in school and beyond have solidified her passion for medicine and helping others. Ainsley commented on how her time at Sacred Heart, combined with a powerful experience abroad, gave her a deeper perspective on the medical field and strengthened her desire to pursue a career in it.
“The summer before my junior year I went to Lourdes, France, on a pilgrimage, ” Ainsley said. “During this time, my interest in medicine strengthened because I saw all these people very ill. As I got to know them, their faith and hope really struck me and I just wanted them to feel better.”
Featured Image by Michaela White ’26
