Louise Goodman, a double major in English and Psychology, was recently awarded a full scholarship to Albany Law School.
But there was a catch: the stellar student had to decide between Albany Law and Penn State University, which had also offered her a full scholarship.
“My favorite thing about the Mount is the small community feel,” Goodman said. “I like knowing my professors and the other students, and that’s what I think Albany can provide me with. That’s why I chose to go there.”
Goodman has demonstrated excellence at every step of her college career. In 2020, she won the college’s Fifth Annual Writing Contest. A year later, she was named an Aquinas Scholar, which requires a minimum grade point average of 3.60. While taking part in the college’s annual Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE), she enjoyed hands-on research into medieval recipes with Rob Wakeman, assistant professor of English.
And now, she has her sights set on becoming an attorney. “I work hard and I enjoy working hard,” she said. “Higher education is something that brings out the best in me.”
Goodman is one of seven children, and like her siblings before her, she is a first-generation college student. Her brother, George, graduated from the Mount’s Nursing program in 2016. Her sister, Lily, was a Biology major on the Pre-Physician’s Assistant track who graduated summa cum laude in 2018.
“If you let it be, academia can be very lonely if you only focus on the score aspect of it,” Goodman explained. “I tried that; it’s not a good place to be. I love being surrounded by people and the compassion of the teachers – that makes all the difference to me.”