Garden lover, pumpkin bread baker and aspiring knitter Louisa Forrest will serve as student speaker for Rush University’s 53rd Commencement Ceremony. Forrest is an Audiology student from the College of Health Sciences class of 2025. At the ceremony, she will receive a Doctor of Audiology degree.
Forrest’s interest in audiology grew from her languages and linguistics studies at the University of Wisconsin. She was eager to learn more about language acquisition, especially when hearing loss can limit access to spoken language. That interest and a strong recommendation from her academic adviser led her to the Audiology Program at Rush.
Forrest also has a passion for being an educator herself, for both patients and fellow students. She finds fulfillment in helping patients understand test results and treatments, and she has worked as a teaching assistant in classes for first-year audiology students. Last year, she co-presented an exploration of patient-centered care principles for patients with multiple disabilities at an interactive global audiology conference.
We asked Forrest a few questions about herself, her time at the university and her advice for new students and fellow graduates.
“To me it is so important that we take the time to ensure patients really understand their health and how it relates to their own experience. ... I can sense the relief when they feel listened to, understood, and know there is a plan moving forward. To me that is one of the most rewarding aspects of health care.”
Where did you grow up and go to school before Rush?
I grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, and went to school just 10 minutes away at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. I studied linguistics, Spanish and Latin American studies and spent my junior and senior years living in the residence halls as a house fellow — UW’s term for a resident advisor, or RA.
What made you want to pursue a career in health care?
I actually didn’t specifically set out to pursue a career in health care. My undergraduate studies in Spanish and linguistics along with some work I did in a research lab really piqued my interest in language acquisition.
I started to become more interested in what that looks like when access to spoken language is limited by something like hearing loss. I honestly just wanted to take more classes and learn more about communication sciences and disorders because I found it fascinating.
But luckily, I fell in love with the health care side of things as well. My absolute favorite part of audiology is spending time with patients.
Why did you choose to come to Rush for your education?
My academic adviser recommended I look at Rush for graduate school. I will never forget what she told me: “The mark of a really good program is not necessarily how happy the students are, but how happy the faculty are, and I have colleagues at Rush who have been there for years and are so happy there.”
I kept that in mind when I met the audiology faculty at Rush. I was immediately struck by how passionate they were, not just about audiology, but educating and preparing students for the field. They refer to us not just as their students but as future colleagues.
I chose Rush because I wanted to be surrounded by people who love and are excited about what they do!
Is there anything you’re particularly passionate about in health care?
Yes. To me it is so important that we take the time to ensure patients really understand their health and how it relates to their own experience.
I love going over test results with patients and their families because I can see it all click for patients when their symptoms can be explained, and they understand what they are experiencing. I can sense the relief when they feel listened to, understood, and know there is a plan moving forward.
To me that is one of the most rewarding aspects of health care.
Did you get involved in any organizations at Rush? Anything you’re most proud of or that you enjoyed the most?
I spent a lot of time at Rush in the Auditory Research Laboratory. Cochlear implants are a surgical option for many people with severe to profound hearing loss. I did research on environmental, or non-speech, sound comprehension in cochlear implant users. I loved working on that research and bouncing ideas off my fellow labmates in lab meetings.
But I think I most enjoyed and am most proud of my work as a teaching assistant for the first-year cohort of audiology students. I got to TA for three classes for them, and I just had a blast. The first year of the program can be very challenging, being introduced to so many foundational concepts at once. I think TA-ing helped me understand the material just as much as — I hope — it helped them.
It’s just so energizing to be surrounded by so many hard-working, motivated, passionate, and intelligent classmates.
Do you have a favorite memory from your time at Rush?
Probably last year’s Ear Day. Ear Day is Rush’s annual research conference on hearing science. Local hearing scientists are welcome to spend a day listening to and presenting their latest projects. I was lucky enough to present some of my research on cochlear implants.
After the conference all of the speakers were invited to go out to dinner, so I got to go too. One of the researchers there was a professor in biological sciences and studied auditory processing in bats. Over dinner she told us all about the ins and outs of doing bat research. I could have listened to her talk about bats all night. It was so interesting.
I love attending research conferences because you meet so many people who just love what they study, and you learn the most interesting things.
Do you have any interests or hobbies that aren’t related to health care?
Yes. When I am not thinking about ears, I love to go hiking, bake pumpkin bread and knit. Well, I’m just now learning to knit, but I do really like it.
I also love visiting gardens. I spent three of my four years of grad school working at Garfield Park Conservatory on the weekends.
Do you have any advice for students who are just starting at Rush?
Participate in class. Don’t be a stranger to your professors. Take advantage of opportunities that interest you. Treat studying like a 9-to-5 job. Study actively and proactively.
And if you are a coffee drinker, maybe join the Panera Sip Club. There is a Panera in the hospital, and I made very good use of the Sip Club there.
Do you have any advice for your classmates as they graduate and pursue health care careers?
I feel so lucky to graduate with such bright, compassionate, hard-working and kind peers. I would tell my classmates to be proud of themselves and the work they’ve done, always keep learning, always maintain humility and try to be what you admire most in others.
I will be trying to emulate all the things I admire most about my amazing classmates.