DUBOIS DISTANCE DYNAMO: Decorated Local Runner Morgan Roemer Aims to Become a Doctor

PITTSBURGH, Pa. (EYT) – The miles matter, but they’re nothing compared to the long-term goals for DuBois native Morgan Roemer. A 2024 graduate of DuBois Area High School, she shattered records and helped bring the cross-country program to a better place. But becoming a doctor in the coming years is what the former Lady Beaver and current Duquesne University distance runner is truly aiming for.

Growing up, Roemer watched her father, Dr. Paul Roemer, MD, serve the community as an internist. The service and care were inspiring to her and also to her older brother, Christian, who is striving to become a doctor himself. Ultimately, it helped her in her selection of what high school classes to take and clubs to join, what summer jobs and opportunities to explore, and even what college or university she chose. With Duquesne’s strong reputation in healthcare and its being an NCAA Division I program in which she could strive to reach her top abilities in distance running, it became a rather natural fit.

“I toured some large schools that I had heard of initially,” shared Roemer. “When I first got mail from Duquesne, my mom encouraged me to look into the school. Once I gave it a chance and connected with Coach (Jeff) Gibson, it quickly became apparent that Duquesne had everything I was looking for.”

The campus, known as the Bluff to Duquesne faithfuls, features an elevated hilltop campus and a surrounding neighborhood. It’s private and does not have the genuine city feel. However, for those who want the city, it’s a mere minutes away if they choose to seek it out. It was the blend Roemer was looking for, as someone who had grown up in a rather small place like DuBois compared to the Steel City. But being from a small town or a rural area is something she’s realized has been fundamental to her. “Growing up, DuBois felt like any other central Pennsylvania town to me,” shared Roemer. “But now, having been gone, I truly appreciate the community. DuBois is so special to me, and it’s where I have made so many memories with people I care about. I’m proud that DuBois is my foundation.”

Running around her neighborhood in DuBois is where she got her start as a distance runner. She can think back to being as young as a kindergartner and running with her dad after school. There may have been a bit of harmless bribery involved, but over time, she began to really enjoy running. As soon as she had the chance to join the cross-country and track-and-field programs in middle school in sixth grade, she jumped at the chance. Little did she know all that would result from trying out running formally with the team.

In high school, she was the first female student-athlete in program history to earn a medal in a track event at the PIAA State Championships. She earned a silver medal in the 3200m and bronze in the 1600m as a senior in 2024. Earlier in the meet, she also finished ninth in the 800m. At the District 9 level, she won 13 medals, which included eight golds. She won four in the 3200m, three in the 1600m, and one in the 800m. Roemer also won five silver medals. She graduated from DuBois, having set the 800m, 1600m, and 3200m records and appeared in the PIAA state meet all four years. In cross country, she was also a state qualifier all four years and finished her high school career with two District 9 golds and silvers, having won the meet in her junior and senior seasons. Roemer also set the home course record in cross country and became a four-time Most Valuable Player in cross country and track and field all four years.

As much as the records and accolades mean a great deal to her, it was helping to build the cross country and track and field programs into stronger traditions. The team element was something she and her teammates worked hard to implement, and now, many successful runners and track and field athletes have followed, as well as teams.

“I miss the progress we made as programs,” noted Roemer. “Senior year was amazing because it was the culmination of all our hard work for four years. We became a strong and close group. I miss running with them, and I’m proud of the standard we set. It makes me proud also to see the programs and traditions being carried through today. My high school running coaches, Scott Sullivan and Lind Beers, provided a great deal of support for me and so many runners, and deserve so much credit for the coaches and people they are.”

Besides her standout athletic career, she was also a member of various clubs in high school, including Science Club, Beaver Buddies, and Hope Squad. Beaver Buddies is a program in which special education students are matched with general education students in the school district, and they become friends. Roemer continues to talk to her Beaver Buddy to this day, and this cause is something that touched her heart tremendously. She is also proud to be one of the first students involved with Hope Squad. Students who are upbeat and represent the district well, and their job is to support students across the high school who may seem sad or not like themselves. Life can be so fragile, and taking these extra precautions to check in on peers is a great way to ensure everyone feels cared about.

Being involved in her school community hasn’t stopped at Duquesne. Roemer is a member of the Med Life and Health Professions Society and was recently accepted to do research under multiple-time Emmy Award winner John A. Pollock in pain relief medication development. She hopes to continue under his research for the next three years, and it can be a way to help her stand out for medical schools in the coming years. Roemer now plans to stay at Duquesne for three more years, as she missed all of her sophomore cross country season and most of track and field with a lingering grade three stress reaction injury. She’s finally feeling the best she has in more than a year and looks forward to returning to cross country in just a few weeks.

“I’ve tried my best not to let this nagging injury become a negative for me,” shared Roemer. “It has taught me things about myself and what I need to change in the future, and also what’s important. I’m back to 45 to 50 miles per week, which is cut down from what I was doing earlier in my college career. I’m glad I could get back for those few meets to end the track season.”

In addition to her mileage this summer, Roemer is training to become an emergency medical technician (EMT) and is working as a medical assistant and phlebotomist. These experiences are ones that not only should assist her with getting into medical school, but they also help the local community she is proud to call home. Working at TruCare Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases has been a great experience, and she is thankful to work alongside Dr. Tuesdae Stainbrook. Her mentorship and trust have meant a lot to her as a young professional navigating healthcare. Besides mentorship from Stainbrook, Roemer also leans on her father, Dr. Paul Roemer, for advice and appreciates his willingness to help her as she embarks on what could be over 10 more years of schooling. At the time of this piece, Roemer is considering one of the longest routes in healthcare education, which is to become a neurosurgeon. From the start of undergraduate courses to the end of schooling and training, it can take almost 20 years to complete. But the journey can be well worth it. It’s an honor to be distinguished enough to operate on people’s brains and try to help them, and very few can say they can or have done it in the entire world. Perhaps this young DuBois native can say it in the future.

No matter where running or medicine may take Morgan Roemer, she counts her blessings. She has a loving family, great friends near and far, is studying at a strong university, and has earned some tremendous opportunities as a young healthcare worker. She is also a great runner and, even more importantly, a kind person who cares about people.

“I’m so thankful for the relationships and friendships I have made from running. From my coaches to teammates and everyone in between. Mostly, all I have been through has been an amazing experience. Becoming and being a college athlete has been and will continue to be hard, but it is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done and may ever do. I would not go back and change a thing about getting to this point,” she said.

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