ALUMNUS PROFILE
Resident Assistant to Surgical
Resident
“Own your education. At the end of the day, you are
ultimately responsible for how it turns out,” says Surgical
Resident Kevin Motz, M.D. (biology ’09), who is in his fifth
year of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck surgery residency
at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and
the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Moving forward, Motz plans
on completing a laryngology fellowship and becoming an
airway and voice surgeon. “I would like to be a clinician
scientist at an academic hospital so that I can do research,
take care of patients, and train the next generation of
otolaryngologists.”
He looks back fondly upon his time as a student at
Stevenson University. “I owe a lot of success in life to my
faculty, friends, and coaches at VJC. To this day, I keep in
contact with them. They are just as invested in my success
now as they were when I was a student.”
Motz admits that he did not thrive during his first
year on campus. “I’m not sure why I didn’t find my
place that year—I suppose I lacked motivation or belief
in myself and honestly, I really didn’t know how to study
or be a student.” In his sophomore year, encouraged by
the Director of Residence Life and his Resident Assistant
(RA), Motz accepted a position in the Villa Julie Resident
Life Program as an RA. “This was the best decision I could
have made. It increased my responsibility and put me
into a leadership role—something that I have always felt
very natural doing.”
This social turning point was supplemented in the
academic realm when Motz identified his academic
niche in his organic chemistry and biochemistry courses
that same year. He went on to teach his peers in the
Supplemental Instruction Program and made the decision
to pursue medical school with the support of professor
and pre-med advisor Lorie Lana, M.D.
Today, Motz takes great pride in the careers that he and
many of his classmates have achieved. “I think the robust
global success of students in the science department
speaks volumes to the faculty. It’s people like Merrie
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VENTURES/WINTER 2017-2018
Kevin Motz, M.D. (biology ’09)
Durmowicz, Lorie Lana, Joe Matanoski, Ellen Roskes, and
Susan Gorman who developed a spectacular department
and inspired hundreds of students to chase their dreams
and find success in any arena they pursued.”
He also is a proud member of the 2006-2007 men’s
golf team that was recently inducted into the Dick Watts
Athletics Hall of Fame as the “2017 Team of Tradition.”
His experience as a student-athlete has had a great
impact on his life beyond college. He wrote his residency
application essay about his team’s appearance at the 2007
NCAA DIII tournament. He also formed close friendships
with teammates and found a great mentor in his coach,
Chris Ramer. “Coach Ramer has always been a tireless
friend, fierce supporter, and strong advocate for me.”
It is in honor of his Stevenson family and his student
experience, which set him on a path to build his career,
that Motz supports the institution by giving back to the
areas of the University about which he is most passionate.