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Olivia McDevitt

2,595

Bold Points

1x

Finalist

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Winner

Bio

I have been to all 50 states, gone skydiving, climbed the Eiffel Tower, gone sledding on Mount Rainier, and swam with dolphins! I believe everything happens for a reason. My college goals were impacted on a random Wednesday morning when a speaker came into my Women in Business Club inspiring a bunch of sleepy high schoolers telling us about her life and how she worked in the biomedical engineering field. That was a moment my vision of my future self was shifted. I was so inspired I called her and simply asked “How do I be you?”. She said to work hard and have confidence. I want to work in the biomedical field and use my leadership skills to create lifesaving devices and continue traveling the world learning, researching, and sharing.

Education

New Trier Township H S Winnetka

High School
2021 - 2025

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Bachelor's degree program

  • Majors of interest:

    • Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
    • Health and Medical Administrative Services
    • Biomedical/Medical Engineering
    • Biological and Physical Sciences
  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Hospital & Health Care

    • Dream career goals:

      Be the CEO of a biomedical engineering company

    • Nanny

      2020 – Present5 years
    • Counter

      Winnetka Golf
      2022 – 20231 year

    Sports

    Powerlifting

    Varsity
    2025 – Present3 months

    Track & Field

    Varsity
    2024 – Present1 year

    Dancing

    Varsity
    2021 – Present4 years

    Awards

    • UDA All American

    Research

    • Microbiological Sciences and Immunology

      Vanderbilt Program for Talented Youth — Student
      2024 – 2024
    • Pharmacology and Toxicology

      Vanderbilt Program for Talented Youth — Student
      2024 – 2024

    Arts

    • New Trier Dance Team

      Dance
      2020 – 2024

    Public services

    • Volunteering

      Women in Business — President
      2022 – Present
    • Volunteering

      Empowering Girls for Life — I was a volunteer helping with organization. I also connected EGFL with other organizations I know of so they can help each other.
      2024 – 2024

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Volunteering

    Philanthropy

    Global Girls In STEM Scholarship
    My mom would tell you that my fascination with the way bodies work has been an interest from childhood when I first watched the movie "Dolphin Tale" a real story about a dolphin whose tail got caught in a fishing trap, and later had to be amputated. I talked incessantly with curiosity and awe and when heading to Florida to see my grandfather, I used my negotiation skills to convince my mom to detour to Clearwater Marine Aquarium to see the dolphin named Winter in real life. After seeing the movie "Soul Surfer", a real life story about a surfer girl who got her arm bit off by a shark, I spent a cold snowy Halloween in Chicago dressed up as Bethany Hamilton. Fast forward many years and I am the girl who loves to dissect things in high school biology and anatomy classes while also enjoying being the President of our Women in Business Club. When speaking to my counselor I didn't think she was hearing me when I said I was more interested in life sciences, like bio medicine when she insisted all college bound seniors take physics. So, I needed special dispensation to take Sports Medicine along with physics my senior year. I wanted to make sure that I had classes I enjoy, albeit rather male dominated classes, as well as both business and biomedicine background as I entered college and started making choices about my major. As life would have it,I believe everything happens for a reason. My goals were transformed on a Wednesday morning before school when an influential female speaker came into the Women in Business Club. She spoke about her life, the path that led her here, and how she works as a business woman in the biomedical engineering field. I was awake, alert, and hanging on her every word. She was a business woman in the medical field, enjoying her job and making a difference. A perfect partnership of my two biggest academic interests coupled with PHYSICS!!! Hearing her was the first time I realized my goals were achievable. I was so inspired I went home, still talking about her presentation and called her later that evening, explaining how I appreciated her and simply asked “How do I be you? What path should I study to qualify for your job?” She said to work hard and have confidence and assured me there were many paths. I may want to be a biomedical engineer and use my leadership skills to create life saving devices. I might study biomedical sciences and business and end up being a manager or CEO of a corporation. Who knows? I may work in the area of prosthetics. I believe my dreams are possible and endless because of my hard work, but they have direction and hope and more focus because of Ms.Sachs, a mom of one of my classmates who volunteered her time on a Wednesday morning before school even started, to tell us her story of how she became a successful business woman in the medical field. I did want to be her, but now know I will be super successful being me, because of her.
    Olivia McDevitt Student Profile | Bold.org