Kicking off our first Alum Spotlight of the 24-25 school year is Krissy O'Connor, Class of 2020! Krissy recently graduated from Iowa State University in May 2024, majoring in Animal Science. This fall, she began work on her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign.
Why did you choose to attend Regina Dominican for high school?
I choose to attend Regina Dominican because my sister went to an all-girls school and I saw how she was able to thrive and flourish and I wanted that for myself. Being at an all-girls school allowed me to find a group of friends who valued an academic/social life balance.
What advice do you have for future Regina Girls?
You really do use the information learned in high school in the future, specifically the science courses. I choose to go into veterinary medicine and I can guarantee what I learned in AP Chemistry, Physics, and Anatomy & Physiology, still shows up in my coursework today.
How did Regina Dominican prepare you for college and beyond?
The academics here are no joke. I can confidentially say that all my required non-major related courses in college were classes I took in high school. It made the transition from high school to college seamless, as I wasn't stressing about the overwhelming workload since I already knew the information that was being taught. Regina Dominican helped me grow as a person and developed my confidence to ask questions during class instead of silently struggling.
What significance did attending an all-girls school have on you?
Being in an all-girls environment gave me the tools to succeed. I was able to not have to worry about what I looked like, what I wore, or who I had to impress. At Regina I was able to find a group of people with the same academic drive where we didn't compete with each other, rather learn as a group and grow with each other.
What is your favorite Regina Dominican memory and/or tradition?
My favorite memory was being a lead in the musical my senior year of high school. I was on the volleyball team for 3 years and decided my last year I wanted to branch out and try new things. I auditioned for the musical which was The Wizard Of Oz and got the role of the TinMan. If I went to any other high school, I'm not sure I could be able to have this experience for my final year. The entire cast holds such a special place in my heart and I will never forget the yellow brick road breaking mid-show and all the memories.