I did not discover my passion for science at Heidelberg University. I believe I was born with it. However, at college I received the platform of basic science knowledge upon which I could build a lifetime of scientific inquiry and problem solving. I had outstanding professors, especially in the sciences, who cared and challenged me. They encouraged me not just to memorize the facts but to ask why and how. This was a valuable lesson in both research and medicine.
At a liberal arts institution I was obligated to take certain subjects outside of my major. I remember complaining to my advisor especially about having to take a fine arts course, which required memorizing multiple paintings and artists. He replied that someday, perhaps at a cocktail party, I would be happy to have this knowledge. The moment actually occurred on a trip with close friends to Italy. I walked into the art museum and immediately recognized a painting. “Ah, my favorite Botticelli, ‘Man with a Medal.’” The look of amazement on the faces of my friends and even the guide made the course worth the effort. Susan the science nerd knew something about art! I am now a frequent visitor to art museums and never tire of revisiting those old paintings and learning about new ones. I did enjoy the required history courses I took as part of the liberal arts curriculum. Since retiring from clinical practice I have developed a passion for history and am glad for the solid introduction I received at school.
I believe that living on campus in a dormitory at a residential college is the first step toward becoming a global citizen. Having been raised in a rather homogeneous suburban environment, I learned that other people have different life experiences that shape the way they see the world. I learned not only to tolerate their viewpoint, but to respect it. It was easy to move to New York City, and I thrived in a city of diversity. I love traveling to other countries and learning about their unique cultures.
I have been fortunate to study and work in large universities. These schools were invaluable to my science and medical careers. However, it was my undergraduate education in liberal arts at Heidelberg that molded me into the person I am today.
Dr. Susan C. Wolf serves as a gynecologist for The Guild for the Blind in New York City, where she resides. She maintained a private practice in New York City from 1996-2002 and also has been affiliated with Premiere Healthcare YAI, the Initiative for Women with Disabilities at the Hospital for Joint Diseases, and other agencies in New York City.
In addition to her medical practice, Wolf also has served as a professor and research associate at Cornell Medical College, Yale University School of Medicine, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She has authored a number of scientific articles that have appeared in professional publications.
Wolf joined Heidelberg University’s board of trustees in 2007 and currently serves as the chair of the board’s academic affairs committee. Along with her husband, Stephen Reynolds, Wolf is a charter member of the 1850 Society, which honors donors whose lifetime giving to the university surpasses $1 million. She has been a strong advocate for biological study with human cadavers, and has been instrumental in assisting Heidelberg in acquiring cadavers for use in its anatomy and physiology laboratory. Heidelberg is one of a very few universities of its size that operates a cadaver lab, giving students an edge when they pursue graduate studies.
Wolf graduated from Heidelberg University (then College) with a bachelor’s degree in biology in 1971. She received her master’s degree in microbiology from The Ohio State University (OSU) in 1974, and followed that with her PhD in anatomy from OSU in 1978 and her MD from Cornell University Medical College in 1990. During her medical training, Wolf was a Galloway Fellow in the Department of Gynecological Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering and was named a National Research Service Award Fellow.