It is clear that Alexa Alfred has a passion for giving back, and she wants medicine to be her outlet. Alfred is a recipient of an Xcel Energy Scholarship, which is a scholarship that is awarded to Minnesota students studying mathematics, science, engineering or environmental science.

Alfred, a senior biology major at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, hopes to go to medical school. As the first in her family to study science, Alfred had to learn time management in a different way. “Between tutoring, my work study and labs, I had to learn new ways to organize my time.”

Alfred has had many opportunities to get involved at Bethany — as a student librarian, a tutor for biology and physics and as a Spanish language lab assistant. “I love the small size of Bethany. I need a lot of interaction to learn, and I have gotten to know my professors and other students on a personal level.”

In addition to on-campus activities, Alfred has taught and studied abroad twice since entering college. Through a church relationship with Bethany Lutheran College, she taught English to Peruvian children and adults. Then this summer in Costa Rica, Alfred combined her Spanish language skills with medicine and learned medical Spanish. “I am currently shadowing doctors in hospitals and clinics to get more experience about what type of medicine I’m interested in.”

After graduation, Alfred wants to take a gap year between college and medical school. “I might teach abroad again, maybe work in a hospital and gain more experience.” Alfred is excited to share her senior year on campus with her little sister, who is now in her first-year.