Q&A with A&S Woodcock Medalist: Exploring Passion, Purpose and Possibility at UofL

As a May 2026 graduate of the University of Louisville’s College of Arts & Sciences, Tia Alchureiqi exemplifies the power of pursuing curiosity across disciplines. A neuroscience (B.S.) and Spanish (B.A.) major, Brown Fellows Program participant, and this year’s A&S Woodcock Medalist and commencement speaker, Tia built a college experience that connected science, language, service and global engagement. 

Through her time at UofL, Tia discovered how seemingly different interests can come together to shape a meaningful path forward. Her experiences in the classroom, through mentorship and in communities around the world have helped guide her goals in medicine, global health and nonprofit work.  

In this Q&A, Tia shares advice for students exploring their own passions, the opportunities that shaped her journey and how she made the most of her Arts & Sciences experience. 

You’ve balanced an impressive combination of majors and experiences—neuroscience, business administration, Spanish, and the Brown Fellows Program. How did you decide to pursue these different interests, and what advice would you give students who have passions across multiple fields? 

I’ve always loved a wide variety of topics, and pursuing medicine has really allowed me to see how treatment of the human condition is so much more than just the science. It’s the nonprofits that graciously fill the gaps of care, it’s the languages that the patients speak from their hearts, and the wiring of their minds. I was blessed with a lot of amazing professors and upperclassman mentors who knew my interests and led me to see how I could pursue these interests in tandem. Brown Fellows ultimately allowed me to put action behind combining my interests in unique ways through our summer proposals, where I could observe private and public healthcare models in Brazil, Spain, and the Bluegrass and later explore how the coffee industry has shaped communities across America, England, Ireland, Austria, and Brazil. 

To anyone that loves a lot of things: I would leave the piece of advice that my uncle shared with me before: “Tia, you are a jar of peanut butter, and all your interests are pieces of toast. You don’t want so many pieces of toast with only a scrape of peanut butter.” It’s a silly image, but it really spoke to me about the intentionality that is needed to pursue many interests. 

Looking back on your time in A&S, was there a class, experience, mentor, or opportunity that had a major impact on your college journey or helped shape your future goals? 

I’ve had countless mentors and experiences that impacted me. As a non-Louisville native, Professor Eddie Bobbitt, through his nonprofit-focused honors seminars, really brought community to the classroom, and the classroom to the community. He not only taught what it looked like to run a nonprofit but lived it as a community connector and brought his class to nonprofit sites to meet leaders all over Louisville, to meet and see the faces behind the forces who are making Louisville stronger today. The foundation he taught me in nonprofit strategies, history, and marketing pushed me to see how nonprofits worked within the Bluegrass and beyond in Brazil, where I was able to take part in a medical mission with UofL faculty, students, and community members along the Amazon River. Mentors on that trip like Dr. Steve and Pat Wheeler really showed me what it meant to care for body and soul, no matter the distance. Professor Gregory Hutcheson was also an amazing mentor within the Spanish department who is now retiring after 43 years of teaching. He was the kind of professor to check in especially when I had a hard day and encouraged me to pursue Spanish within and beyond the classroom, giving me the skills to connect with Spanish speakers in Louisville, Spain, and Mexico. These experiences have solidified my goal to continue to combine interests in medicine, global health, and nonprofit work. 

You’ve achieved so much during your time at UofL. What accomplishment or moment are you most proud of, and why does it stand out to you? 

It was an incredible honor to be able to be the commencement speaker this year and really have the chance to share how UofL has poured into me. I’d say one of my favorite memories was getting to come home to my grandma the night after the first Guaranteed Entrance to Medical School student meeting, where we received our white coats. My grandma has been my inspiration in so many ways, from her creativity, to her determination and love of language learning. It was a blessing getting to come home to see her and hear her say “Look, it’s my future doctor.” It was in that moment, with that coat around my shoulders, that really showed me that this dream is becoming real 

As this year’s Woodcock Medalist and commencement speaker, what message would you want to share with current students about making the most of their college experience? 

As cheesy as it sounds, I’d say to remember you live and you learn. As the movie “First Daughter” says, “Don’t sweat the petty things, and don’t pet the sweaty things.” There will be a lot of moments that will make you question your potential, a lot of mistakes you’ll make, but also unexpected successes you will have. Don’t miss out on what’s in front of you because of what you think your mistakes in the past are holding you back from. Go out there EARLY, meet with the clubs that pique your interest, get to know the people in the room, talk to your peers and professors who have excelled in what you love, and never lose sight of yourself and those who are important in your life in the rush of it all.