Neuroscience alumna combines passion for care with liberal arts mind frame as occupational therapist

Gracie Bouker ’21 became interested in the brain at an early age after a loved one suffered a stroke. Witnessing the debilitating impact, she said, “ignited my passion for understanding the brain and how amazing it is—and how devastating it can be for anything to happen to it.” 

Bouker majored in neuroscience at The College of Wooster, where she took advantage of everything a liberal arts education has to offer. She played intramural soccer, was involved with the International Student Association, worked as a resident assistant and in the career center, and served as a peer tutor, among other activities. She also studied abroad in Argentina, which included an educational excursion to Antarctica in which she and her classmates researched the effect of tourism on the climate. She called the opportunity a “once-in-a-lifetime experience.” 

After graduating, Bouker earned her master’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of Puget Sound. She said her Wooster education set her up for success in her current role as an occupational therapist at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington. 

“The classes I took outside of my STEM classes, including History of Islam and Introduction to Anthropology, gave me a broader sense of how other people perceive the world,” Bouker said. “In healthcare, that’s critical. Your ability to adapt your approach to meet the person in front of you in whatever emotional or spiritual state they’re in is really important to delivering effective care and ensuring the patient is receptive to receiving whatever help you have to offer them.” 

This feature originally appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Wooster magazine.

Photo provided by Bouker.

Posted in Alumni, Magazine on March 13, 2025.