Ava Knap: Blending Neuroscience and Art to Shape the Future
Bold Dreams Meet Purposeful Learning at Gonzaga University
For Ava Knap, a junior from the small agricultural town of St. Joseph, Illinois, Gonzaga offered something she couldn’t find anywhere else: a sense of bold possibility. A standout student-athlete on the track team, Ava came to Spokane to chase big dreams both on and off the field. While she originally committed to majoring in biology—because Gonzaga didn’t yet offer neuroscience—she jumped at the chance to switch majors when the new program launched. Now, as part of the first graduating class of Neuroscience majors, Ava is embracing the opportunity to help shape the future of the program while discovering what inspires her most.
A Personal Calling: Making Neuroscience Accessible
Ava’s passion for neuroscience is deeply personal. Influenced by her younger brother’s experience navigating learning disabilities, she developed an early interest in understanding how the brain works—and what happens when things go differently. Her academic path has been anything but one-dimensional. As an Honors student, she’s currently working on a thesis project that explores the intersection of neuroscience and art.
The project blends perspectives from both scientists and artists, embodying the Jesuit value of integrating diverse ways of knowing.
From Track to Lab: A Division 1 Student-Athlete Finds Her Rhythm
Balancing the demands of a Division I athletic schedule, coursework in a rigorous STEM major, and multiple campus jobs—including everything from testing eyewash stations to decorating science hallways—has tested Ava’s endurance and time management skills.
“I’ve learned how to keep going when things are repetitive or exhausting,” she says, drawing clear connections between the discipline of sport and her academic life. Despite the challenges, she says her favorite part of the program is how connected it feels: “It’s so cool when you start to see how your classes fit together—when neuroanatomy clicks with biology or cell physiology in ways you didn’t expect.”
Leading the Way Toward a Career in School Psychology
Looking ahead, Ava plans to pursue an education specialist degree and become a school psychologist, with a long-term goal of opening her own practice. Wherever she lands, she’s confident her neuroscience background will stay with her.
“This major teaches you to pull knowledge from different disciplines to solve complex problems—that’s real life,” she says.
Her advice for future students? “Be excited about it. If you see these classes as just something to get through, you’ll struggle. But if you show up curious, it can be transformative.”
Bridging Brain Science and Creative Expression
Kicking off the spring semester, Ava brought her interdisciplinary interests to life with Where’s My Mind, an honors showcase exploring the intersection of neuroscience and art, on view in the Shoebox Gallery at the Jundt Art Museum. Drawing inspiration from her honors thesis, the exhibition uses the intimate gallery space to invite viewers into a more accessible and imaginative conversation about how the brain works—and how science and art shape one another. Ava will present the showcase on Wednesday, January 14, from 3–5 p.m., with the exhibition remaining open January 12–30, offering a compelling example of how Gonzaga students integrate disciplines in ways that reflect the University’s commitment to curiosity, creativity, and holistic understanding.