What’s Next for Lauren Long ’26 Long, a biochemistry major, will be attending Indiana University School of Medicine in the fall.

Office of Communications and Public Affairs
June 3, 2026

Lauren Long ’26

Major: Biochemistry
Minor: Entrepreneurship
Hometown: Carmel, Indiana

What are your post-graduation plans?

I will be attending Indiana University School of Medicine in the fall.

What are some skills or lessons you will take from your academic experience into the professional world?  

Some of the biggest skills I have developed at W&L include discipline, teamwork and resilience. Through academics, tennis and other endeavors such as research and being a teaching assistant for organic chemistry lab, I have developed and applied these traits. I am confident that I will continue to use and strengthen these skills in medical school and my professional life after.

How did your career plans evolve throughout your time at W&L? Did you always know what you wanted to do?

Coming into W&L, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in medicine. I am grateful that my peers and professors were extremely supportive of this goal, as it helped me achieve getting into medical school.

What was your favorite class? And is there one class that ended up changing your perspective or that really surprised you?

I absolutely loved Professor Donna Smith’s Spectroscopic Methods class. I found the material interesting, challenging and incredibly rewarding. Not only did it reinforce my choice of a biochemistry major, but also my decision to pursue a STEM-based career.

Which faculty or staff member had the most impact on you, and what did you learn from them (either inside or outside the classroom)?

This is an incredibly difficult question as countless faculty members have impacted my time at W&L. Professors in the Chemistry/Biochemistry department, such as Dr. Uffelman, Professor Smith, Dr. Friend, Dr. Alty and many more, continuously supported me through my academic journey at W&L. I learned the power of discipline and dedication from them. In terms of tennis, Coach Erin Ness, along with my team, assistant coaches, Will Wallace in Athletics Communications and more played an equally important role in shaping my experience. Their mentorship, encouragement and belief in my potential challenged me to grow not only as a student and athlete, but also as a person.

What internships or other summer experiences did you partake in, and how did those experiences shape you and your career plans?

The most significant summer internship that I participated in was a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF REU) program at Indiana University in Indianapolis, Indiana. I had the great opportunity of working in Dr. Nicholas Manicke’s laboratory, where our primary goal was to develop a more efficient and cost-effective method for analyzing drug content in biofluids using a paper spray mass spectrometry technique.

What’s been one of your favorite experiences over the last four years?

Being a part of the women’s tennis team at W&L has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. I enjoyed playing competitive tennis at a high level, but, more importantly, I created meaningful and lasting friendships with teammates, and I could not be more grateful.

What’s your proudest accomplishment?

I am incredibly proud of being accepted to the Indiana University School of Medicine. This accomplishment took years of hard work, and it was very rewarding to see that all of it paid off. I am confident that my four years at W&L have prepared me for the next four years in medical school.

How has studying the liberal arts at W&L shaped how you see the world?

I have found that a liberal arts education is extremely valuable. While I greatly enjoyed my time in the Science Center, I also got the opportunity to take classes in the Williams School, the Art and Art History Department, the Language Department and many others. These experiences exposed me to a wide range of perspectives and ways of thinking. I learned to approach problems from multiple angles, communicate with people from different backgrounds and fields of study and connect ideas across disciplines.

What advice would you give to next year’s graduating class? 

Senior year flies by … make the most of everything!