Alissa Balke

I grew up in the small town, rural environment that encompasses most of the Midwest. I learned of Lehigh’s existence after being contacted by the goalkeeping coach of the soccer team, though they lost interest in favor of a more experienced keeper, as I had only been playing soccer a few years. I applied to Lehigh anyway, and upon getting accepted to the Eckardt scholars program, I decided to matriculate here and focus on my academics instead of playing soccer elsewhere. Now, I am a captain of the club volleyball team, active in LUEMS, and I am applying for Masters of Public Health programs in my home state, with the eventual goal of attending medical school. 

 

I am truly grateful for my experience in the Eckardt program. I had the unique opportunity to take classes that interested me, rather than just fulfilling requirements for my degree—not to mention attending Hamilton on Broadway in its debut year! Being an Eckardt scholar has help to open doors to opportunities here at Lehigh, and also given me the challenge of working on a senior thesis that I would not have otherwise pursued.

 

Thesis Subject:

I am working on a literature review to investigate three topics; what information is currently available on how regulation of prescription opioids impacts addiction and subsequent health, how hospitals regulate opiates in comparison to other drugs (such as antibiotics), and can it be done better?