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Aiden Frail

Brookfield, IL

Biology Major (Pre-Health Track)

With football, tutoring, and pre-health studies, Senior Aidan Frail keeps busy at Knox.

“I took a dance class at Knox. We learned about stress and how movement can diminish stress so now whenever I'm taking a quiz or a test, I get up, and I usually just take a lap around and that helps me calm down, and I'm able to go back and sit down and reassess everything.” 

Growing up, Aiden Frail ’27 was inspired by his family doctor’s care and love for helping people, both in the medical and familial setting. 

“He taught me how to swing a baseball bat,” Frail said. “It inspired me to want to be like him, and as I got older and learned more about medicine, I just saw myself learn more in that space and want to be that for somebody else." 

When his family doctor suggested Knox for its pre-health program, Frail was excited to continue higher education at the school. 

“I was going to go here no matter what, and then I also got to play football,” Frail said. “Coach showed up at my school and said, ‘want to play?’ and I said, ‘okay’.” 

Frail not only plays football while managing schoolwork, but also works as a Center for Teaching and Learning tutor and with Director of the Vovis Center for Research and Advanced Study and Health Professions Advising Lisa Harris as a pre-med advisor. 

“Lisa is great. Through her program, I've done several pre-med activities and had just a lot of opportunities that I would never have gotten at some big state school,” he said. 

During his time at Knox, Frail participated in the JUMP program in Peoria, where he not only received a $2000 stipend from the program but also had the opportunity to work with standardized patients and connect with doctors across departments to understand symptoms, while expanding his network. Frail also engaged in the Rush Medical School program in Chicago during Fall Institute Day, where he met with Knox alumni who were once in his shoes.

Frail highlighted the importance of movement and grounding himself throughout the day, especially during stressful times. 

“I took a dance class at Knox,” he explained, “We learned about stress and how movement can diminish stress, so now whenever I'm taking a quiz or a test, I get up, and I usually just take a lap around and that helps me calm dow. I'm able to go back and sit down and reassess everything.” 

He also credits his dance class for introducing him to people he would not have otherwise met. 

“Most people in the class were on the WAC (Whitcomb Art Center) side, and I am obviously over in SMC (Umbeck Science-Mathematics Center) all the time, so I would have never seen them. Through that class, dancing together and having a good time, it was really nice to be able to do that.”