We welcomed Dr. Lauren Green ’00 to speak to Upper School students at our celebration of National College Decision Day on May 2, 2022.

Green, a former MPA “lifer” from kindergarten through grade 12, specializes in breast cancer surveillance as the Head of Breast Imaging and Chair of the Center for Breast Care at University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago.

After graduating from the Academy as a successful musician, athlete, French linguist, and WYSE team competitor, Green earned a psychology degree at Princeton University and a full scholarship to attend the University of Illinois College of Medicine.

From there, she completed her residency training in the field of radiology and completed her sub specialty fellowship training at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York in 2015.

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Video

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Transcript

Morgan Park Academy will always be home to me in a way. It played an important role in shaping who I am. I have many close friends who I met here when I was five just years old. That is not normal. It is awesome, but also something not many people experience.

With “not normal” come some weird things. Do you still have the Lower School Gym Show here? Are students still assigned as “waiters” at lunchtime? It was not until I went to college that I realized that some of these quirks are unique to MPA, however, with the weird comes greatness. Great teachers, small class sizes, opportunities to participate in just about anything. We are the poster children for the well-rounded experience. MPA provides you with the skills to tackle just about anything.

What I value most about my time here is being encouraged to appreciate the concept of “other.” Other people, other cultures, other places, other ways of thinking and problem solving. It fueled my love for travel and trying new things: food, art, adventure. It’s an appreciation this world could use much more of.

This is an important and exciting time for all of you. You have worked hard and are on the precipice of a major transition. College is a game-changer. You will learn more about yourself in the next few years than you would ever think possible. It may sound cliche, but the possibilities are actually endless.

Many of you will move away from home for the first time. You will live and study alongside people from all over the country and even the world, many with very different life perspectives. MPA could not prepare you any better for that. The diversity and emphasis on multiculturalism here is unparalleled and something most people will never know. Do not let go of that.

In college, soak up every opportunity to learn both in class and from those around you. Make the friend. Take the random class. Study abroad. Join a club. Try new things. It may be the last time you are truly free to do so.

You have worked hard to get to this point. You deserve and are capable of exceptional things. Put your insecurities aside, be brave, do not fear failure or making mistakes. Those instances are often where we learn and grow the most. Put one foot in front of the other and take those first steps. You may just end up changing people’s lives for the better or even the world. Many of my MPA classmates certainly have.

We all have gifts. Do not let yours go to waste. You will encounter people throughout life who will doubt your abilities and tell you that you can’t. It may be their assumptions based on your gender, ethnicity, or a multitude of other factors. Do not ever let anyone underestimate you. Try not to take the negativity personally. In my experience, those assumptions usually stem from people’s own insecurities and have little to do with you. Remember: You are limitless.

Finally, there’s the old saying that it’s not what you know, but who you know. This is partially true, but be sure to make connections and to take advantage of opportunities. Be respectful of others and make good impressions. You never know when a chance encounter could help you to obtain the job of your dreams years later. The world is a very small place. Keep the bridges open.

Best wishes to all of you on this next great chapter of your lives. I look forward to hear about your accomplishments in the future. Congratulations on this special day.