Penn Arts & Sciences Pathways: Tova Tachau, C’25 (Video)

Tova Tachau, C’25, entered Penn in the Vagelos Molecular Life Sciences program with an interest in biochemistry and biophysics. However, a Russian Literature class taught by Kevin M.F. Platt, Professor of Russian and East European Studies, swayed her toward the humanities.
 
“I wanted to work in drug development—I was not a humanities person,” Tachau says. After deciding to major in Russian and East European studies and comparative literature, Tachau chose to study abroad in Kyrgyzstan to catch up on the four semesters of Russian language she lacked. In Kyrgyzstan, she was exposed to a completely different lifestyle and health system, which sparked her interest in becoming a physician in global spheres.

Besides hiking with her dog and taking circus arts classes, Tachau is currently applying to medical school and conducting research in the organic synthesis lab of Sergei Vinogradov, Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics in the Department of Chemistry. She is an undergraduate fellow and executive board member in the Wolf Humanities Undergraduate Research Forum, co-chair of the Reform Jewish Community at Penn, and founder and president of Atidna International at Penn, an organization that promotes dialogue between Israeli/Jewish and Palestinian/Arab students.
 
Pathways is a student series from Penn Arts & Sciences that highlights the academic journeys of students in the College of Arts & Sciences and the transformational moments that have shaped their intellectual experiences.