Inspiring Graduate: Mia Schmoll, B.S. Biology

The strong sense of community – exemplified by both students and faculty – on display during a campus visit inspired Mia Schmoll to enroll at UW-Stout, and over the past four years she has cultivated her own campus community in classrooms, labs and athletic fields.  

Schmoll said UW-Stout’s polytechnic approach, which complements her own learning style, helped clinch her decision to become a Blue Devil, an experience which culminated May 16 when she joined more than 1,000 students who received UW-Stout degrees. 

In addition to being a student athlete, Schmoll interned as an assistant athletic trainer, allowing her to apply the skills she learned in the classroom and lab to her fellow competitors’ needs. And those skills will be front and center when she attends the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences to complete her doctorate in physical therapy. 

“I am very excited to be able to work directly with patients as a physical therapist and help to improve their quality of life through rehabilitation,” Schmoll said. 

What brought you to UW-Stout?  

I toured UW-Stout as a high schooler and during my visit I met with both members of the soccer team and faculty in the biology program. I felt so welcomed and loved the sense of community that Stout had. I also really appreciated the hand-on approach that Stout boasts, as well as the small class sizes that allow you to get to know your classmates and professors well. All these reasons combined made Stout the perfect choice for me.  

How has UW-Stout prepared you to work in your field? 

Stout’s emphasis on hands-on learning and collaboration really catered to my learning style and helped me feel much more prepared as I head into a graduate-level program. One of my favorite courses I took here was the Advanced Anatomy course. We spent much of our time in the anatomy lab where we were able to study using cadavers. Not many universities are able to offer this kind of in-depth experience, and I benefited so much from it.  

Where did you complete your internship, and what kind of projects have you worked on?  

For my internship I worked as an assistant athletic trainer in the UW-Stout Athletics Training Room. I shadowed the trainers there and learned different rehabilitation techniques. Throughout the semester I worked there I became increasingly independent and by the end was able to work one-on-one with athletes.  

During my time there I also completed a research project on ACL injuries where I compiled information from a variety of studies. Altogether, I learned so much and gained many valuable rehabilitation skills that will directly transfer to the specifics of the career field I am pursuing.  

What stands out most about your UW-Stout experience?  

The professors at Stout really stood out and made my experience here so much more valuable. They really work to get to know their students personally and care about what is going on in their lives. I have always felt like I had a great support system in the faculty here that I could turn to when I needed help with coursework.  

What organizations were you involved with on campus, and how did that involvement impact your experience?  

In my time at UW-Stout I was a part of the women’s soccer team and the women’s flag football team. I also was a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, Pre-Health Society and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Being involved in all these different groups helped me to get to know so many different people and build a community, as well as helping me grow my leadership, communication and time management skills.  

What challenges did you face in earning your degree, and how did you overcome them?  

I think that finding a balance between coursework, athletics, community involvement and social life was one of the most challenging things for me while earning my degree. However, I think this pushed me to be more organized and have impeccable time management, which are both skills that will benefit me in the future.  

What are you most proud of as you finish your degree?  

I think I am most proud of being able to graduate with a 4.0 GPA. It took a lot of hard work to be able to be in this position, but accomplishing this has helped provide so many opportunities for my future and allowed me to attend the graduate program of my choice.