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Biology Alumni

Our graduates are making an impact around the world—conducting groundbreaking research, advancing healthcare, protecting ecosystems, and leading in education, policy, and industry. Rooted in Loyola’s Jesuit mission of academic excellence and service to others, our alumni carry forward a spirit of curiosity, compassion, and commitment to the greater good. Their success stories reflect the power of a biology education at Loyola—one that blends rigorous scientific training with ethical reflection, hands-on research, and a deep understanding of the living world. We invite you to explore their journeys and imagine where your own Loyola experience might lead.

 

Biology Alumni Highlights*

 

  • Susan Thomassie '22 served as the Coordinator of Biology labs for three years after graduation and is currently pursuing a PhD in Biological Sciences at the University of Southern Mississippi. Her dissertation research is examining how thermal biology affects the invasion success of fishes introduced into aquatic ecosystems.
  • Dr. Jeremy Le '14 completed his DDS at the University of Southern California and is currently practicing Dentistry in southeastern Louisiana.
  • Dr. Dan Holt '05  earned a PhD in Fisheries and Aquaculture from Auburn University. His dissertation research examined how noise pollution affected the acoustic biology of stream fishes. Dan is currently an Associate Professor of Biology and Director of the Competitive Premedical Studies Program Columbus State University.
  • Rachel Nuwer '03 is an award-winning freelance journalist who reports about science, travel, food and adventure for the New York Times, National Geographic, Scientific American and more. Her multi-award winning first book, Poached: Inside the Dark World of Wildlife Trafficking, was published in 2018 with Da Capo Press. Her second book, I Feel Love: MDMA and the Quest for Connection in a Fractured World, was published in June 2023 with Bloomsbury.
  • Melissa (Kaintz) Longman '03 earned a MS in Fisheries Biology from Tennessee Technological University and is currently the Sport Fish Restoration Coordinator for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
  • Dr. Myra Hughey '03 earned a PhD in Biology from Boston University. Her dissertation research examined how microbial pathogens and insects affect amphibian reproductive success. Myra is currently an Associate Professor of Biology at Vassar College.
  • Dr. Simone Pitre '01 earned an MD from Louisiana State University and is a board-certified OB/GYN practicing in southeastern Louisiana.
  • Dr. Rachel (Delatte) Bezdek '01 earned an MD from Louisiana State University Shreveport and is a board-certified OB/GYN practicing in southeastern Louisiana.
  • Dr. Margaret Couvillon '00 earned a PhD in Biology from the University of Sheffield. She is currently an Associate Professor of Entomology at Virginia Tech. Dr. Couvillon has published over sixty papers and her lab investigates the dynamics of how pollinators collect their food, with a specific focus on honey bee foraging, recruitment, and health.
  • Dr. Leon Seoane '91 earned an MD from Louisiana State University School of Medicine. He serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer for Ochsner Health and has been named as the Founding Dean for the Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine, which has a bold mission to develop the fifth HBCU medical school in the United States to train more underrepresented physicians for the U.S. 
  • Dr. Rachel Kent '74 earned a PhD in Biology from Boston University and worked as a molecular biologist in academic and biotechnology research for more than 25 years. She is coauthor of 18 biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology publications, and co-inventor on 16 patents covering recombinant DNA technology for discovery of biologic therapeutics. Dr. Kent and her husband are generous supporters of undergraduate research at Loyola.
  • Dr. Jean DeKernion '62 served as Professor Emeritus of Urology and Chair of the UCLA Department for over 25 years, Dr. deKernion did his Residency at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland and his fellowship at the National Cancer Institute. Certified by the American Board of Surgery and American Board of Urology, Dr. deKernion is a World leader in Urologic Oncology, co-authoring the first textbook on the subject. Dr. DeKernion and his wife are generous supporters of undergraduate research at Loyola.

*please email Jordan@loyno.edu to update us on your post-graduation successes!