Turning Trauma to Truth: Majors at UW
March 02, 2022 | Women's Rowing
How one student-athlete used her personal experiences to guide her career path.
MADISON, Wis. -- Adrienne Kisting is a senior class representative on the team, leading both by example and her unflinching commitment to being a Badger through thick and thin - including double hip surgery.
But let's back up. Who is Adrienne? The senior is a lover of "Law and Order: SVU" and rowdy Badger football games, and a connoisseur of local Madison sushi restaurants. Adrienne keeps her schedule packed through involvement in organizations outside of the team. She is President of SAESO (Student-Athletes Equally Supporting Others), the Affinity Group Ambassador of Badger Pride, a research assistant at the School of Veterinary Medicine, and, of course, a student studying microbiology. In between it all, Adrienne always finds time to call her mom and hang out with friends.
Microbiology, the study of all microorganisms with an emphasis on bacteria, is based at Microbial Sciences. Conveniently located a mere three-minute walk from Porter Boathouse, the building is state-of-the-art and houses the microbiology, immunology and bacteriology departments, as well as specialized instructional laboratories.
"[At UW] they really emphasize research…the research opportunities here are so good," Kisting said. "We learn the absolute foundations of conducting research [from] very knowledgeable and passionate professors who really care about student successes and are always available to discuss their own research…they definitely have our best interests in mind."
UW-Madison is indeed a stellar research university consistently ranked within the top-10 research universities in the nation with numerous opportunities to get directly involved in various areas of study.
In her lab at the School of Veterinary Medicine, Adrienne studies infective endocarditis. Ultimately, Adrienne and her colleagues are searching for evidence that Staph directly inhibits angiogenic factors in human endothelial cells. Infective endocarditis is an infection of the cardiac endothelial tissue, the tissue lining the heart chambers and valves. With the help of her principal investigator, she has been able to improve her critical problem-solving skills.
"With my research, I've had to look at problems that have never been designed or studied before…it's like solving a puzzle…and it is a great complement to my classroom work," remarked Kisting.
Within the major itself, Adrienne finds microbiology intriguing for important reasons aside from a keen interest in learning about diseases and how they affect humans.
"I knew coming into college that I wanted to study microbiology. I knew that microbiology studies all of the things that make us sick, and because I was really sick as a kid, I want to have a better understanding of what is directly affecting our lives…knowledge is power," Kisting said.
When Adrienne was just four-years-old, she contracted a severe case of bacterial pneumonia. She was in the hospital for a month, enduring four separate surgeries. After her lungs collapsed, Adrienne was airlifted into Chicago from her hometown hospital in Rockford, Illinois. Connected to chest tubes and under constant supervision, doctors struggled to identify the infectious bacteria her immune system was fighting, unable to classify the bacteria as either Staph or Strep.
"That's why I chose to work in my current lab...I shouldn't have survived, but I did," said Kisting.
Her involvement in rowing has also lent to her studies. Adrienne underwent double hip surgery last summer to repair torn labrums in both hips. Over the past few months, she has spent quite a bit of time with Dr. Spiker and athletic trainers Tricia De Souza and Dana Friske.
"I was able to interview the team doc, Dr. Spiker, and our sports medicine staff. They are always willing to talk and eventually, in a non-COVID world, I will shadow them. The whole experience has taught me that I really want to work with people," Kisting noted.
With all that she has been through, Adrienne plans to attend medical school and pursue a specific interest in sports medicine.
"I think my microbiology foundations, including my research, have really prepared me to do well in med school. I am excited to have direct patient interaction," Kisting mentioned excitedly.
Though it is unique to have specific life experiences so directly impact a student's choice in degree, Adrienne's story is a great representation of the freedom a large school like UW-Madison provides to students. Adrienne has been able to connect her exact degree of interest to lab work studying bacteria she came face-to-face with and her time as an injured athlete.
We asked Adrienne if she could give one piece of advice to future Badger student-athletes. She quickly and enthusiastically answered, "Finding those extra 20 minutes to get an assignment done is crucial and always keep your life goals in the picture, especially when you feel really sleepy after a tough practice."
Keep an eye out for Adrienne as she embarks on her last racing season as a Badger!
But let's back up. Who is Adrienne? The senior is a lover of "Law and Order: SVU" and rowdy Badger football games, and a connoisseur of local Madison sushi restaurants. Adrienne keeps her schedule packed through involvement in organizations outside of the team. She is President of SAESO (Student-Athletes Equally Supporting Others), the Affinity Group Ambassador of Badger Pride, a research assistant at the School of Veterinary Medicine, and, of course, a student studying microbiology. In between it all, Adrienne always finds time to call her mom and hang out with friends.
Microbiology, the study of all microorganisms with an emphasis on bacteria, is based at Microbial Sciences. Conveniently located a mere three-minute walk from Porter Boathouse, the building is state-of-the-art and houses the microbiology, immunology and bacteriology departments, as well as specialized instructional laboratories.
"[At UW] they really emphasize research…the research opportunities here are so good," Kisting said. "We learn the absolute foundations of conducting research [from] very knowledgeable and passionate professors who really care about student successes and are always available to discuss their own research…they definitely have our best interests in mind."
UW-Madison is indeed a stellar research university consistently ranked within the top-10 research universities in the nation with numerous opportunities to get directly involved in various areas of study.
In her lab at the School of Veterinary Medicine, Adrienne studies infective endocarditis. Ultimately, Adrienne and her colleagues are searching for evidence that Staph directly inhibits angiogenic factors in human endothelial cells. Infective endocarditis is an infection of the cardiac endothelial tissue, the tissue lining the heart chambers and valves. With the help of her principal investigator, she has been able to improve her critical problem-solving skills.
"With my research, I've had to look at problems that have never been designed or studied before…it's like solving a puzzle…and it is a great complement to my classroom work," remarked Kisting.
Within the major itself, Adrienne finds microbiology intriguing for important reasons aside from a keen interest in learning about diseases and how they affect humans.
"I knew coming into college that I wanted to study microbiology. I knew that microbiology studies all of the things that make us sick, and because I was really sick as a kid, I want to have a better understanding of what is directly affecting our lives…knowledge is power," Kisting said.
When Adrienne was just four-years-old, she contracted a severe case of bacterial pneumonia. She was in the hospital for a month, enduring four separate surgeries. After her lungs collapsed, Adrienne was airlifted into Chicago from her hometown hospital in Rockford, Illinois. Connected to chest tubes and under constant supervision, doctors struggled to identify the infectious bacteria her immune system was fighting, unable to classify the bacteria as either Staph or Strep.
"That's why I chose to work in my current lab...I shouldn't have survived, but I did," said Kisting.
Her involvement in rowing has also lent to her studies. Adrienne underwent double hip surgery last summer to repair torn labrums in both hips. Over the past few months, she has spent quite a bit of time with Dr. Spiker and athletic trainers Tricia De Souza and Dana Friske.
"I was able to interview the team doc, Dr. Spiker, and our sports medicine staff. They are always willing to talk and eventually, in a non-COVID world, I will shadow them. The whole experience has taught me that I really want to work with people," Kisting noted.
With all that she has been through, Adrienne plans to attend medical school and pursue a specific interest in sports medicine.
"I think my microbiology foundations, including my research, have really prepared me to do well in med school. I am excited to have direct patient interaction," Kisting mentioned excitedly.
Though it is unique to have specific life experiences so directly impact a student's choice in degree, Adrienne's story is a great representation of the freedom a large school like UW-Madison provides to students. Adrienne has been able to connect her exact degree of interest to lab work studying bacteria she came face-to-face with and her time as an injured athlete.
We asked Adrienne if she could give one piece of advice to future Badger student-athletes. She quickly and enthusiastically answered, "Finding those extra 20 minutes to get an assignment done is crucial and always keep your life goals in the picture, especially when you feel really sleepy after a tough practice."
Keep an eye out for Adrienne as she embarks on her last racing season as a Badger!
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