Many have seen or heard of her, but Livy Heling, a senior biology major at Lakeland, is as humble as they come. She holds an impressive list of accolades from athletics to academics in her Lakeland career. Most recently, at the 2026 Lakeland Honors Convocation on April 15, she was honored as the recipient of the Outstanding Undergraduate Scholar Award, the Ellen J. Kregel Athletic Award and the Outstanding Student in Biology Award, and as a Koehler Award finalist. Heling differs from most who have a similar list of accomplishments in her quiet and humble ways, but there is more to Heling than her academic and athletic career.
Heling came to Lakeland from West Bend East High School, home of the Suns, for the women’s tennis team which she has competed for her four-year career at Lakeland, having numerous accolades and articles written about her athletic success. Heling, like many Lakeland students, enjoyed the small, charming campus and a full tuition scholarship she received. She also appreciates how close to home Lakeland is, giving her access to go home whenever she likes.
The West Bend, Wis., native reflected how nerve-racking moving to Lakeland was; that change is hard, but the women’s tennis team kept her busy and made the move okay. She also recognized how easy it was with her first year and sophomore roommate, Kassidee Webb, who dragged her out of their room often and who she misses.
In talking about her family, Heling acknowledges that she takes after her dad, with no surprise that she is the quietest in her family. The Heling family seems to have a split personality with her mother and brother being outgoing, differing from her and her father. Heling also has two dogs, Tessa, a boxer, and Rue, a French bulldog.
In her free time, Heling enjoys watching “Vampire Diaries” with Mary Johnson, who she currently lives with in Sheboygan, Wis. Heling states, “It’s a lot of fun living with Mary, hearing her play the piano, studying together.” Heling’s favorite thing about living with Johnson is spending so much time with her and that Johnson makes her food. Heling also enjoys watching and playing tennis, traveling and doing press on nails, all of which she tends to do with Johnson. Heling and Johnson recently spent their final spring break driving to South Dakota with Johnson’s younger brother, Luke. They will also be joining the Tropical Ecology course trip to Belize this May!
When asked about living with Heling, Johnson said “Sometimes I don’t even know that she’s there because she’s so respectful and my family would say the same.” She continued that “It’s impossible to feel alone when you live with one of your best friends. She’s someone I can always talk to because she’s so nice.” Johnson also commented that, like Heling, watching “Vampire Diaries” is her favorite thing to do with Heling, but also feeling like she doesn’t have to worry about school with Heling.
Heling and Johnson have spent both of their four years knowing each other, being on the same tennis team and now living together for their final year. Heling spent her first two years living with former Muskie women’s tennis player, Webb, and her junior year rooming with The Mirror’s editor-in-chief, Sarah Stege, before Johnson’s family told her that they had an extra bedroom. Heling was ready to not live on campus anymore, and she enjoys driving to campus every day, having her own room and really her own house.
In their four years of friendship, Johnson stated that she likes being someone who can be there for Heling and get her out of her shell. While Heling is still relatively reserved, Johnson has encouraged Heling to branch out and get more social media like Instagram. Johnson said that she has yet to hear Heling be loud by any means. “Even when I try to scare her, she’s not loud.” Though, that hasn’t changed Johnson’s view on Heling, “She’s one in a million.”
Heling’s mentor and research faculty, Dr. Andrew Karls, associate professor of biology, often joins Heling in the field house to practice badminton at least once a week. Karls, who has shown his support for Heling in both athletics and academics, thought aloud, “Livy is typically academically minded, seeing her play badminton lets me see some of the other things that are on her mind.” It seems Heling can confide in Karls; he gave insight on Heling’s apartment decoration ideas and how she might investigate getting a cat after Lakeland.
Karls has seen undeniable growth in Heling, “As a person, [she] has become more comfortable in social situations.” Karls also discussed how Heling has become more comfortable with asking people for help and showing her generosity and kindness. He expressed appreciation for the Pop Tarts she gave him for his birthday because of their shared enjoyment of the snack.
After four years at Lakeland, Heling sees how comfortable she has become, how she talks more. She credits Lakeland, “I think there is a sense of community here” and that she is leaving with many more friends than she came in with. She also acknowledges how Lakeland’s research opportunities gave her a leg up in graduate school, which she has gotten a lot of support in applying to.
Once she crosses the stage in May, Heling will be attending the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee for her PhD in neuroscience. In Milwaukee, she will be living with Johnson and Lakeland graduate, Emily Pautz ’25. Heling shared that they have started making Pinterest boards for their next journey together. Dr. Heling has a nice ring to it. Congratulations on a successful Lakeland career, in the classroom, on the court and personally.