Reagan Bishop
Where have you found yourself and what career goals have you pursued since graduating from Loyola? Where do you see yourself heading in the next several years?
Since graduating Loyola in May 2021, I have found myself involved in all sorts of things. Shortly before graduating, I started a social services job working at an emergency shelter for homeless youth. While I am continuing this job part-time, I recently started a job working at a dialysis clinic as a patient care technician. I have always wanted to go to medical school, and I hope that these experiences will benefit me in this pursuit. I am also getting my Master’s degree in Biological Sciences at Purdue NW, and hope to apply to medical school this summer!
How did the Women’s and Gender Studies (WSGS) program impact your career success and life overall?
I am incredibly thankful for everything that I have learned from the WSGS program. Undoubtedly, this program positively impacted my career and my life. I know now that my work in healthcare has a more intersectional understanding, which allows me to better understand the situations of my patients and provide them with more appropriate care. Many healthcare workers neglect the importance of sociopolitical issues in healthcare, which affects the patient’s health more than anything else. The WSGS program has also affected my life primarily in the way in which I see, and critically analyze, the world that we live in. This program taught me so many foundational ideas that enable me to see the world through a different lens and take action to make the world a better place.
What was your favorite course/project you took part in whilst being a part of the WSGS program?
I think that some of my favorite classes that I took while a part of the WSGS program were actually some electives that I took. I took two psychology courses, psychology of women and gender and sexual differences and similarities. These classes had many students who were not involved in the WSGS program, and I believe that my background in other WSGS classes allowed me to get more out of these courses. I also believe that as someone going into healthcare, understanding psychological differences in patients is vital to effective treatment and preventative care.
Do you feel as though your WSGS degree has guided you towards a more fulfilling career path?
I definitely think that my WSGS degree has guided me towards a more fulfilling career path. Although I always wanted to be a medical doctor, before the WSGS program I had little idea why. I knew I wanted to help people, but I did not know what that meant or how. Through the understanding of the world that I gained through my WSGS degree, I know now what my “why” and “how” are. I know now that I will be able to make a larger impact in the lives of my patients, due to my education from the WSGS program.
In what ways has your WSGS education helped prepare you to be a more engaged global citizen and local neighbor?
My WSGS education led me to make many different decisions about my future than I would have made otherwise. I have grown incredibly passionate about social issues, and am always trying to find ways to incorporate WSGS methodology into my actions. I have also grown to understand the importance of listening to the lived experiences of others and valuing other perspectives. I am confident that this has enabled me to have a more positive influence on the lives of those I interact with.
What advice would you offer to current or prospective WSGS students?
If I had to give any advice to any current or prospective WSGS students, it would be to get that degree! I know that as someone who had already declared a neuroscience major, it took a big leap for me to be able to add on such a different major. This resulted in me taking several 21 credit semesters and summer classes, and it was definitely hard. However, this was undoubtedly the best decision that I made at Loyola. Take advantage of the time you have at Loyola and learn as much as you can (you pay the same price for 2 degrees as 1!) The professors and your peers in the WSGS program will teach you more than you could imagine, and I’m confident that anyone who undertakes this degree will be glad that they did.