Homecoming approaches and with that, the presentation of Eastern and Templeton’s alumni awards. Allie Greenplate is Templeton’s alumna of the year for 2026! Read our interview with Allie to learn more about her continued connection to the Honors College.
With what cohort did you enter the Templeton Honors College?
I entered Templeton in 2007.
How did you arrive at the Templeton Honors College and what made you apply?
My family spent many years vacationing at a primitive cabin in the Adirondacks with a few other families. We spent those weeks canoeing, crafting, cooking, exploring, reading, and discussing complex topics. It was easily the best week of the year. One of the women was a professor at Eastern’s graduate school and suggested I look into the THC. The THC was like taking my favorite week of the year and expanding it into 4–the great books, deep discussions, and even an Adirondacks camping trip.
Did you go on the Adirondacks (ADK) trip with your cohort? Do you have core memories of that trip that you’d feel comfortable sharing?
I did! I have so many great memories from that week. A few silly ones–one of the canoes flying off the trailer on the highway and a friend and I nearly capsizing our canoe on a faraway bank. And a few more impactful ones. Climbing Mt. Marcy sparked a love of the mountains and hiking that has stayed with me ever since. I learned The Doxology around the campfire and I now sing it to my children every night.
What class experiences and/or texts from the Templeton curriculum have made a lasting impression on you?
So many experiences and texts have stuck with me! Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love, Dante’s Divine Comedy, and selected works of Bernard of Clairvaux are probably my top three most influential texts. Overall, the most impactful experience was learning how to critically think and write. Clear, concise, provocative writing has changed my life and opened doors I didn’t know existed (yes, even in the world of STEM!).
After graduating from Templeton and Eastern, where did you land next?
After graduating, I worked as a technician at a biotechnology company called Centocor (later acquired by Johnson & Johnson). After about a year, I moved to Nashville to complete my PhD in Microbiology & Immunology at Vanderbilt University.
You came to an alumni panel last year for our 25th anniversary weekend (thank you for that!). What has made you want to stay connected to Templeton throughout the years?
Though I credit Templeton with much of my career success and look back fondly on my time as part of the community, I also remember struggling to feel seen as a science major. Honors Forum was scheduled during a required biology class and I spent many extra hours every week in the lab. I’ve stayed connected with Templeton both because it’s such a unique community and also because I hope I can provide a sounding board for other students pursuing the sciences who aren’t sure where they fit in.
Have you felt that your Templeton education/experience has shaped your approach to your current work/life approach?
During my time at Templeton, we were lucky enough to have Templeton Prize winner Michael Heller visit campus and speak. He talked about his work as a cosmologist, professor, and priest. I was blown away by the breadth and depth of his knowledge and when I asked him how he did it all he simply said, “I just did it”. He probably said it more eloquently, but the message was clear. The only way to make progress is to actually start chipping away at things, no matter the perceived impossibility. That moment was life changing for me. Since then, I’ve felt emboldened to push forward into the unknown, whether at work or in my personal life.