Hononegah Grad Earns White Coat Honors

By Marianne Mueller, REPORTER

SUBMIITED PHOTO – The Herald.
Coop Lewis celebrated the honor of becoming a Physician Assistant White Coat. Pictured, from left – mother, Mary Lewis, grandmother, Janet Vogt, Coop Lewis – center, grandfather – Paul Vogt, sister – Taylor Lewis, and father – Richard Lewis.

Coop Lewis is a familiar face in the Rockton Community and beyond. He has remained an active volunteer in the Roscoe Rockton Lions Football organization for many years. He has also volunteered at Beloit Memorial Hospital in the past year and has given his time freely at Beloit Health and Rehab Nursing Home.

All of these volunteer experiences have helped to shape Lewis’ naturally caring personality through developing discipline and in learning different ways of helping others. Each has worked as a stepping stone to a bright path and the future of his chosen career path.  

The 2011 Hononegah High School Graduate has big aspirations and is now one step closer to achieving his set goals. Lewis began his journey at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville where he majored in Biology with an emphasis in Bio health and Physiology. Additionally, he took Gross Anatomy and Human Pathology courses. Lewis graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 2015.

With supportive family, close friends and faculty looking on, Coop Lewis was honored by receiving his Physician Assistant White Coat at the University of Dubuque on Oct. 13, 2016.  All twenty-five classmates who earned White Coat honors alongside Lewis earned this accomplishment in their first semester. Lewis is one of over 500 who applied.

Lewis has two more years left of studies at the University of Dubuque to complete toward the goal of becoming a Physician Assistant. “I first developed my interest in becoming a Physician’s Assistant in my last year of undergrad,” says Lewis. During his time in undergrad, Coop studied Microbiology, Immunology, Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry.

White Coat Ceremonies mark the transition from the study of preclinical to clinical health sciences. It is also known as a rite of passage into a healthcare career and symbolizes a student’s commitment to the profession and professionalism that is expected within the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Lewis will gain valuable and essential experience working with Doctors in various clinics. 

Coop Lewis is the son of Richard and Mary Lewis, brother to sister Taylor Lewis – all of Rockton and is the grandson of Paul and Janet Vogt of Roscoe.