FROM THE NEST | SUMMER 2026 | 5 time with Parlett at practice and in the bullpens. “I could just tell she had a lot of grit and determination on and off the field,ˮ Greaney said. Parlett asked Greaney questions about her experience as an intern and engineering student, and sought advice on potential career paths. Greaney, now a systems engineer at Lockheed Martin, said she saw Parlettʼs “eyes light upˮ when she talked about engineering within the defense industry. The conversation sparked Parlettʼs interest in the industry, which led her to complete two industrial engineering internships at Northrop Grumman in Baltimore, where she has been working full-time since graduation. Parlett was drawn to work in the industry since she can help support missions similar to those that her husband will be serving as a soon-to-be Navy officer. “She is so determined,ˮ Greaney said about Parlett. “Sheʼs great at balancing all aspects of being an athlete. Athletics can be tough with how demanding and time-consuming they are.ˮ Parlett plans to carry the lessons sheʼs learned at Lehigh into her career that she dreamed of on the diamond. “Iʼm so grateful to have attended Lehigh, truly,ˮ Parlett said. “I have loved being here.ˮ Lifelong Friendship, Emerging in Healthcare As a community and global health major on the pre-med track at Lehigh, Mariaca had a goal of attending medical school to become a physician. When she received her acceptance to the University of Kansas School of Medicine, her top choice, one of the first people she called was Anya Getzfeld ʼ24, a friend she met over coffee during her sophomore year. Getzfeld invited Mariaca to study in her apartment when school anxiety became too heavy, and read multiple personal statements for medical school applications until the words got blurry. The pair first met through Kappa Alpha Theta, but their friendship quickly expanded from sorority life. Getzfeld was a biology major who, originally on the pre-med track, switched to the pre- physician assistant (PA) track. They learned that Mariaca would be following in similar footsteps to Getzfeld, taking some of the same courses and navigating difficult classwork. Getzfeld helped support Mariaca by sharing tips for understanding the material in different courses, what classes to take each semester for a balanced course load and how to gain lab experience. “Science classes like physics and organic chemistry were tough classes for me, and I got through it with Anya by my side saying, ‘Youʼre going to make it through and youʼre going to figure it out,ʼˮ Mariaca said. They learned from each other, and with each other, how to fail, how to get back up and how to stay friends through physical distance and different life stages. When Getzfeld graduated a year after the two met, Mariaca said they learned to “show up differentlyˮ and put mutual effort into their friendship. As Getzfeld was reaching her own academic milestones after Lehigh by completing a post-baccalaureate program and accepting a position as a medical assistant at Advocare Stoll Medical Group, they were on different paths for the first time. Still, both agree their lives seem to align when it matters most. As Getzfeld applied to PA school and Mariaca applied to medical school, they once again found themselves editing essays, contacting professors and leaning on each other through the uncertainty of waiting for decisions. That support paid off for both of them. Mariaca received her acceptance to the University of Kansas School of Medicine, while Getzfeld accepted an offer from Lock Havenʼs physician assistant program. “We couldnʼt have done it without the other,ˮ Getzfeld said. “Iʼve seen how Sameen has evolved over the past two years, and itʼs great to witness that change in each other. Iʼm so proud of how far sheʼs come.ˮ “WE COULDNʼT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THE OTHER. IʼVE SEEN HOW SAMEEN HAS EVOLVED OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS AND ITʼS GREAT TO WITNESS THAT CHANGE IN EACH OTHER. IʼM SO PROUD OF HOW FAR SHEʼS COME.ˮ —Anya Getzfeld ʼ24 Friends Anya Getzfeld ʼ24 (left) and Sameen Mariaca ʼ26 (right) are navigating bright futures in healthcare together.
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