ROCK ISLAND — Augustana College senior Leslie Bandera, biochemistry and chemistry double major from Oregon, was nominated to submit a “More Than I Imagined” profile by Dr. Jason Mahn, professor of religion.
Annually, faculty nominate Augustana's seniors who have achieved remarkable academic or personal growth to appear in the college's 'More Than I Imagined' series. Read Bandera's profile at More Than I Imagined on the Augustana site.
Dr. Mahn said Bandera is a model of what a wide liberal arts education can do in the world.
"Beyond excelling in pre-med, Leslie minored in religion, where she thought carefully about issues that matter to diverse populations," he said. "In her final religion class 'Suffering, Death, and Hope,' she is bringing these disciplines together to consider healing and well-being in mind, body and spirit."
He said this project this interdisciplinarity informed the next steps in her unfolding vocation.
"She will be going to med school after graduating from Augie, where she will pursue osteopathic medicine, which can treat human persons more holistically than other forms of medicine," Dr. Mahn said. "It is clear that Leslie has the mental toughness and caring spirit to become a healer of many!"
