Katie Lightcap ’18 was never very interested in science.

Then, as a high school soccer player, she suffered a traumatic brain injury while playing soccer. As she navigated the healthcare system, she found her interest sparked.

“This exposure to many healthcare fields and careers spiked my interest, and my own passion to be an advocate for people living with disabilities from my own personal experience pushed me in the science direction,” she said.

Assisted by Pacesetters and merit scholarships, Lightcap came to Pacific University, drawn by its small-town setting and friendly environment.

“I love the support I get from all facets of the campus community,” she said in 2017, when she was student body president.

“My professors have stumped me, my bosses have become valued mentors, and my coworkers have become my team.

“The relationships I have made here at Pacific are unlike any I would have made at a larger school.”

Lightcap majored in biology and minored in anthropology, hoping to pursue a graduate degree and career as a physician assistant. 

“Being a Boxer has pushed me to be a kinder person, practice empathy, and laugh more often,” she said as a student. “I love Pacific and am so grateful I will be able to get my degree from a place that has so quickly become a second home.”

After graduating in 2018, Lightcap accomplished her dream: She attended graduate school in New York, where she now works as a physician assistant.