2026 Young Alumna of the Year

 “My route to medicine was not straight because I had so many passions in life,” explained Maggie Aasen, an otolaryngology surgical resident at the Medical College of Wisconsin. And she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Even though I’m in a medical career now, I still have a lot of passions outside this career,” said Maggie. “That’s one of the most important things you gain from education and what I learned at DSHA: It’s not just one thing I’m working toward; it’s about building a beautiful life.”

A cornerstone of the beautiful life is Maggie’s time at DSHA. Reflecting back on her decision to attend the same high school as her sister Claire Aasen ’10, mother, Mary Beth Bartkowski Aasen ’79, and aunts, Maggie said, “It was the best fit for me.”

“I found my voice and a lot of confidence,” said Maggie. She shared that during her four years at DSHA, she was always encouraged to explore her interests by faculty. This meant joining Model UN, writing for the student newspaper, playing tennis, and enjoying classes across disciplines. Some of Maggie’s favorite classes included ceramics, literature, and social studies.

However, one of the most impactful experiences of Maggie’s high school career was a research project she conducted under the supervision of Retired Science Faculty Betty Jo Zintek Azpell, HA '58. She and Mrs. Azpell traveled to San Diego to present Maggie’s findings on how dyes can impact the function of cells.

“It was the first time I realized the research I was doing was taken seriously, and that gave me a lot of confidence in myself and what I was doing,” said Maggie.

While working at DSHA and volunteering at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Maggie decided she wanted to pursue medicine in a patient-focused capacity. She earned her MD from Loyola University Chicago.

When she was faced with focusing on a specialty, Maggie reflected on her multitude of passions: “What drew me to surgery was how artistic it was. I loved my art classes at DSHA; I love working with my hands. It’s the kind of job where I get to be super artistic, get to give people their sense of identity back, be challenged, and impact people’s lives.”

Now, Maggie is in her fifth year of residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin and will continue as a fellow next year, specializing in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. Maggie lives in Bayview with her husband, Patrick, their one-year-old daughter, Jane, and their dog, Gus. She feeds her curiosity and passions through travel, movies, book club, and keeping up with friends, including fellow Dashers.