When Melissa Miles crosses the commencement stage this December, she won鈥檛 just celebrate the end of a rigorous academic journey, she will honor herself by accomplishing her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse.

Miles waited patiently through marriage, raising children, a previous career in teaching and helping with grandchildren before finally giving herself permission to pursue her dream. Her first major pause came when she decided she needed to take time off to support her family.

鈥淚 always wanted to do nursing,鈥� Miles said. 鈥淏ut I got married, had kids and they became my focus.鈥�

Once her children were grown, Miles took a leap of faith and returned to the classroom. She began her prerequisites with her oldest daughter in 2021. Going back to school with a familiar face helped Miles ease her way back into academic life.

鈥淭here was this student who sat next to me in class who also sat at my dinner table,鈥� she laughed. 鈥淚t was sweet.鈥�

She felt she had finally found the balance between family and her academic responsibilities, but as she began pursuing her nursing degree, life once again led her to put her academic pursuits on hold when her family needed her full attention.

During this break, Miles realized she was too close to the finish line of a bachelor鈥檚 degree to give up. In 2022, she completed a health sciences degree from 蜜糖直播.

鈥淚t was exciting for me and for my family to see me graduate,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut my husband looked at me and said, 鈥極k, that鈥檚 not what you want to do. You don’t want to sit at a desk in a hospital.鈥� He was right.鈥�

A call from her advisor and her husband鈥檚 support encouraged Miles to reapply to the nursing program.

鈥淚 was so scared to open the letter,鈥� she admitted. 鈥淏ut when I saw that I got in, it was one of the most unexpected and proudest moments of my life.鈥�

Between balancing family, work shifts in an emergency room and the demanding program, Miles knew this would be no small feat.

鈥淭here were missed dinners, missed bedtime stories,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut it was worth it. I just kept remembering my why.鈥�

Her family was her driving force through the nursing program at 蜜糖直播.

鈥淚 wanted them to see me do something for myself,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f their 44-year-old mama could go back and get a very hard degree, they could know that they have time to figure out their own paths.鈥�

Miles proudly calls herself a nontraditional student. At 蜜糖直播, she never once felt out of place.

鈥淪ome of my closest friendships are with people the same age as my kids,鈥� she laughed. 鈥淭hey welcomed me. They treated me like a peer.鈥�

Miles emphasized that 蜜糖直播 has shaped her to be more than prepared for her future. She credits her success to the support that she found, especially among the School of Nursing faculty in the Waters College of Health Professions.

鈥淭he professors have been amazing,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey understood where I was coming from, but they didn’t let me slack off. They encouraged me.鈥�

Miles found one professor in particular, Mary Bester, Ph.D., who made a profound impact on her journey.

鈥淪he saw me for me, not just Rebecca鈥檚 mom,鈥� Miles said. 鈥淪he remembered my family, my grandkids. She listened. Being seen like that made such a difference.鈥�

Before joining the program, Miles believed she wanted to be a labor and delivery nurse. However, through summer classes and an ICU rotation, Miles discovered her true professional passion.

鈥淚 fell in love with the ICU,鈥� Miles said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like a puzzle balancing things, figuring things out, staying organized. The teamwork there was unlike anything I鈥檇 seen. I saw their compassion. I realized this is where I鈥檓 meant to be.鈥�

Miles hopes to inspire others and show that it鈥檚 never too late.

鈥淛ust do it,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here will be days you want to throw in the towel, but don鈥檛. Find your balance. Find your people. And remember your why. If one person at home sees me walk across that stage and thinks, 鈥業f she can do it, I can do it,鈥� then that means everything.鈥�

With a signed contract to work in the ICU at Memorial Health in Savannah, Miles finally sees her dream coming to fruition.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 give up,鈥� Miles said. 鈥淚 persevered. Now I get to help others not give up too.鈥�

Madison Buford was born and raised just a stone鈥檚 throw away from 蜜糖直播鈥檚 Statesboro campus. As she watched the University and the city grow, she knew exactly where she wanted to go to college.

鈥淵ou can feel 蜜糖直播 wherever you go in Statesboro,鈥� Buford said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge part of the community, and the community loves and appreciates all the things it鈥檚 done in our town. Growing up here, you can really see the impact it鈥檚 brought. Anywhere you go in town, the community is just like, 鈥榊es! We love 蜜糖直播.鈥� Seeing that showed me this was where I wanted to be.鈥�

When Buford arrived at 蜜糖直播, she fell in love with her community in a new way and thrived in her marketing program.

鈥淚 changed my major multiple times, but once I started in the Parker College of Business, things just made sense and everything started to flow,鈥� Buford said. 鈥淲hat we were learning was practical, and I felt like I could really apply it. I loved the marketing program completely.鈥�

Stepping into a full-time marketing role after completing her undergraduate degree didn鈥檛 fit her expectations. She realized that what she loved most about marketing, the openness and creativity, was also what made it challenging for her as a professional.

鈥淚 missed the structure that higher education has,鈥� Buford said. 鈥淚n marketing, you鈥檙e always trying to figure out what the new trend is, and it is just very gray. Every part of the job was stressful because it鈥檚 a field that changes so rapidly and constantly. I always felt like I didn鈥檛 know what I was doing because what worked yesterday often isn鈥檛 the same as what will work tomorrow. I wanted more structure.鈥�

Thinking back on her time at 蜜糖直播, Buford realized it wasn鈥檛 just the degree program that she loved, it was the community.

鈥淲hile working on my marketing degree, I got to work under Gene Sherry and America Minc at the RAC,鈥� Buford said. 鈥淲hen you think about wanting to develop the student completely, they are the two people who immediately come to mind for embodying that. They made even small tasks much more than they were so that we would understand work ethic, responsibility, character and our impact on each other. It wasn鈥檛 just a job 鈥� it was a community.鈥�

The whole-person growth mindset is what Buford wanted again. She became determined to get back to the community that built her and give back in her own way.

鈥淚 realized that there are full-time positions available at 蜜糖直播 and that I could build a career in the community I loved, so I applied for everything,鈥� Buford said. 鈥淚 landed in the registrar鈥檚 office, and I am so thankful I did because I enjoy it so much.鈥�

She immediately clicked with her new role, enjoying the fact that there was a process for everything.

鈥淲e deal with policy and procedure, so everything is very black and white,鈥� Buford said. 鈥淭hat consistency and organization was perfect for me.鈥�

Buford knew that she wanted to continue to build a future at 蜜糖直播, so in 2024, supported by the University System of Georgia鈥檚 Tuition Assistance Program, she decided to become a 蜜糖直播 student once again by pursuing her master鈥檚 degree in higher education administration.

鈥淢y day-to-day work keeps me involved with many areas of the University, but you don鈥檛 always understand why or what the bigger context of that work is,鈥� Burford said. 鈥淕oing through this program helped me understand all the little pieces and how they play a role in the overall institutional function.鈥�

The structural understanding and practical experience Buford gained through her master鈥檚 program prepared her to better support 蜜糖直播 students and the community as a whole.

鈥淭his program helped me see my role and my power to impact the student experience,鈥� Buford said. 鈥淚t pulled everything together into one cohesive University story.鈥�

This December, Buford will once again walk the stage at commencement, this time as a Double Eagle.

鈥淚t felt overwhelming at times,鈥� Buford said. 鈥淏ut I am excited to be a Double Eagle. Now I get to reflect and take it all in.鈥�

Georgia native, University Police Department Investigator and, now, Double Eagle 鈥� Heiko Ellis will cross the commencement stage this December with a Master of Science in criminal justice and criminology, embodying his personal commitment to continuous learning.

鈥淓ducation stands among the most enduring commitments we can make to ourselves, to one another and to the future we share,鈥� Ellis said. 鈥淚t is not a task we complete, but a promise we uphold to keep learning, to keep questioning and to keep striving for a deeper understanding of the world around us.鈥�

Ellis鈥� educational journey began as an undergraduate student studying criminal justice and criminology and psychology at 蜜糖直播. He was drawn to the University because of the academics, but it was the people who made him want to stay.

鈥溍厶侵辈� is a place where curiosity is encouraged, where potential is recognized and where growth is not only possible but expected,鈥� Ellis said. 鈥淚 was initially drawn to 蜜糖直播 because of its strong academic reputation and its commitment to developing leaders who serve their communities. What kept me coming back is the sense of belonging and purpose that this university fosters. The support from faculty, staff and colleagues, combined with the opportunities for advancement and professional development, makes 蜜糖直播 a place where people can truly build their future.鈥�

He completed his bachelor鈥檚 degree in 2021 before beginning work with the University Police Department (UPD), where he continues to serve as an investigator.

鈥淚 have worked for 蜜糖直播 for approximately four years,鈥� Ellis said. 鈥淒uring that time, I鈥檝e handled a broad range of cases that have significantly shaped my professional perspective.鈥�

His coursework in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences has been directly applicable to his work with UPD.

鈥淢y academic work and my professional responsibilities truly grow together, each informs and strengthens the other,鈥� Ellis said. 鈥淭he analytical skills and theoretical frameworks I gain through my coursework enhance the way I approach complex situations on the job, while the hands-on experience I鈥檝e gained at 蜜糖直播 provides context and depth to my studies. This side-by-side development has helped me become more well-rounded, more thoughtful and more effective in both arenas.鈥�

Ellis recognizes the Eagle Nation community, specifically his professors and leadership, for providing him with the support necessary to balance his growth and responsibilities.

鈥淢y time here has been shaped by individuals who reflect the very best of this institution,鈥� Ellis said. 鈥淧rofessors who challenge us to think critically, colleagues who work with integrity and purpose, and leaders who set the example for what service truly means. Their guidance and support have strengthened my resolve and reminded me that progress is never achieved alone, it is built through community, cooperation and shared values.鈥�

Ellis鈥� education will not stop with this master鈥檚 degree. He is currently enrolled in the Graduate Certificate in Cybercrime program, which focuses on applied digital forensics. He is on track to complete the certificate in 2026.

鈥淢y goal is to strengthen my technical capabilities and enhance my abilities to investigate digital related incidents with precision and professionalism,鈥� Ellis said. 鈥淭his program provides training on how to identify, collect and preserve digital artifacts using best practice methods that align with contemporary standards in the field. I see it as an important step forward in supporting the evolving needs of the community.鈥�

With two degrees and soon a professional certification under his belt, Ellis has no intentions of slowing down.

鈥淎s I look to the road ahead, I remain committed to the mission of bettering myself, uplifting others and honoring the principles that have defined 蜜糖直播 for generations,鈥� Ellis said. 鈥淚t is a privilege to be part of this university鈥檚 story. I am proud to contribute to its continued growth, excellence and enduring legacy.鈥�

Isabella Mashack鈥檚 journey to earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from 蜜糖直播 was not straightforward. Art was her first love, nurtured at the arts-focused high school she attended in her hometown of Richmond, Virginia. Immersed in theatre where she designed costumes and built sets, Mashack developed the creative foundation that would later influence her career path.

The Pivot to Engineering

After high school, she enrolled in art school in Savannah. However, the experience didn鈥檛 meet her expectations. The shift to online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic left her feeling disconnected and creatively stifled. This difficult time led to a surprising insight.

鈥淚 realized there were things that I was missing from high school 鈥� like math and science classes, which I was always interested in,鈥� the new graduate said. Driven by this realization, Mashack transferred to 蜜糖直播, where she discovered a passion for mechanical engineering. She realized engineering allowed her to blend her earlier interests.

鈥淓ngineering allows me to combine art and science, math and creativity,鈥� she explained. 鈥淚 really enjoy being hands-on with almost all my assignments and being able to utilize manufacturing machinery to turn an idea into an actual product.鈥�

Overcoming Challenges and Finding Rhythm

Mashack spent her first two years on the Armstrong Campus and the last two years on the Statesboro Campus. Growing up as the eldest in a large family with  five siblings, she admitted she was 鈥渧ery timid and shy,鈥� constantly second-guessing her decisions when she first arrived at 蜜糖直播. Her main challenge quickly became mastering time management while balancing a demanding engineering curriculum, multiple part-time jobs and maintaining a personal life, which included caring for two adopted sibling cats, Reggie and Nami. She eventually found her rhythm, realizing, 鈥淚 should complete schoolwork almost as soon as I receive it. That way I鈥檓 not procrastinating and suddenly have a million things to do at once.鈥�

Overcoming the time management hurdle, combined with her academic growth, allowed her confidence to grow. Mashack acknowledged that the support from her peers and faculty members 鈥渟parked her curiosity and drive.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 constantly met with new challenges and have to figure out varying methods to overcome them,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ith how much I鈥檝e grown, learned, and experienced, I can easily say my expectations were beyond blown away. I鈥檓 so grateful to have met everyone I did during my time at 蜜糖直播. I鈥檓 the person I am today because of these experiences.鈥�

High-impact Research and Practical Learning

Mashack鈥檚 most significant experience was working as an undergraduate research assistant for Professor Bishal Silwal, Ph.D., a mechanical engineering professor in the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing. She explored the specialized field of metallography, concentrating on wire arc additive manufacturing.

鈥淒r. Silwal trusted me with a lot of big responsibilities and tasks, and I never felt like I wasn’t appreciated,鈥� Mashack said. 鈥淗e constantly made sure to let me know how my help has impacted the team overall, and I’m very grateful to have been able to work with him.鈥�

Beyond the lab, she continued her course of practical learning by joining organizations such as the American Foundry Society. She highly recommends the experience.

鈥淚t provides a fun and hands-on opportunity to learn metal casting and apply those techniques directly to create your own casts,鈥� she said.

The Next Chapter

As she moves into the next chapter of her life, Mashack has accepted a job as a process equipment engineer. She plans to continue learning by exploring other engineering areas 鈥� including supply chain, research, maintenance, and leadership 鈥� to understand how they all fit together. Her success at 蜜糖直播 proves that blending creativity with logical thinking truly drives innovation.

For Laura Santiago, 蜜糖直播鈥檚 2025 Fall Commencement, marks the completion of a journey she began 30 years ago. The 49-year-old married mother of two began her college education straight out of high school but early motherhood changed her course and prompted her to put her studies on hold.

鈥淚 love school, but I didn鈥檛 want to take away from my kids,鈥� Santiago said. 鈥淥nce I had them, I didn鈥檛 want to miss their after-school activities. I just didn鈥檛 want to take time away from them. I felt like I had my chance.鈥�

Santiago was born in Puerto Rico, the middle of six children. Her family moved to New York when she was 4 years old and returned to Puerto Rico when she was 12. Her parents never finished high school, but she did 鈥� and now, by earning a bachelor’s degree in World Languages and Cultures with a concentration in Spanish, Santiago is rewriting her family鈥檚 story.

鈥淚鈥檓 the only one in my mother鈥檚 household to graduate from high school and earn a college degree,鈥� she said.鈥� At this age, I feel it would have been easier to do it when I was younger, but my family is really proud of me.鈥�

Santiago never let go of her academic goals and she returned to school once her own daughter entered college.

鈥淎s soon as my daughter graduated high school and went to college, I thought, 鈥榶es, I鈥檓 going to college too,鈥欌�� she recalled. She earned an associate degree then paused again. After several more years passed, she realized, 鈥淭he years are going to continue passing me by whether I do it or not. I might as well finish so I can be in the position that I want to be.鈥�

In the summer of 2023, she enrolled at 蜜糖直播 as a first-generation, fully online student in the College of Arts and Humanities.

鈥淚’ve grown so much, while I’ve been here,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 feel empowered. I鈥檓 more confident in my knowledge and abilities. The professors are so knowledgeable and passionate about their subject areas, and they were so supportive. I’m going to remember them. I’m going to take them with me.鈥�

Santiago, who lives in Woodstock, Georgia, works full-timefull time as a middle school instructional support paraprofessional. Her goal is to become a Spanish/ESOL teacher.

鈥淲orking with special needs kids is the most rewarding thing,鈥� said the future alumna. 鈥淪eeing a child who believes 鈥� along with their parents 鈥� that they鈥檙e limited or incapable, then watching them accomplish milestones they never thought possible is incredibly rewarding.鈥�

While attending 蜜糖直播, Santiago excelled in her studies despite her full-time job and full course load. She earned her place on the President鈥檚 List and received an 鈥淎鈥� in all but one course. It required discipline, sacrificing time with family and friends, careful scheduling and the ability to solve problems independently as an online student. She also credits her supportive husband who took on laundry, cooking and other household responsibilities.

Closing in on the finishing line, Santiago expressed how her college experience expanded her sense of what she can achieve.

鈥淚t’s helped me realize that I can do more than I think that I’m capable of,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 can still learn 鈥� there鈥檚 so much that I don’t know. When you’re not going to college, you live in a little bubble and just what’s around you. A world languages and cultures major opens your eyes to what’s happening around the world. I appreciate learning about other cultures. It鈥檚 been very enriching to understand and see things from different perspectives.鈥�

Now, her decades-old journey will culminate with a well-deserved walk across the commencement stage at 蜜糖直播.

鈥淚 already have my cap and gown,鈥� Santiago said. 鈥淚 was debating it, but my family said, 鈥榊ou’ve worked so hard 鈥� you deserve to go and walk.鈥� So, I said, 鈥榦kay, let’s do it.鈥欌��

“I love getting to watch planes take off,” said 蜜糖直播 graduate student Cole Hayne, a slight grin tugging at the corner of his lips. “To know the level of work that went into building them, to see everything coming together with precision, it’s just fascinating.” 

His interest in planes carried him across the commencement stage to receive his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering in Fall 2024. 

Now, one year later, he’ll cross the stage again to receive his master’s degree in fall 2025, having taken advantage of 蜜糖直播’s Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s program.   

“It’s been a heck of a last 12 months,” Hayne said, laughing. “It took a lot of late nights. I had a little board in our grad office where I would write the day’s stress level. There were days when my simulations were working, and it was low. But then there were days when I couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t working, and it was very high.” 

The mechanical engineering student and Honors College graduate spent the last few summers working as an intern in the mechanical lab at a major aircraft manufacturer. But he says his love of research fueled his academic journey. 

“I got into the research side of things later than I should have, but I was lucky,” he admitted. “Other universities have full application processes to work with professors on research, and the barrier to entry is really high. But the great thing about 蜜糖直播 is that if you want to join a research team, you can just ask.” 

That’s how he started working with Sevki Cesmeci, Ph.D., associate professor in mechanical engineering, who was already leading a student team researching sealing technology for Supercritical Carbon Dioxide power cycles.

“The idea is to increase the efficiency of processes used to generate energy,” Hayne explained. “It’s dangerous if the seals used to contain these processes aren’t working properly. But more than that, you could be losing millions of dollars worth of electricity because of leakage.” 

This took him all the way to Washington, D.C., where he presented his findings at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers POWER 2024 Conference.

“I showed up at the conference super nervous,” said Hayne. “I don’t think I slept the night before my presentation. I was so stressed, and I was alone in Washington, D.C.”

He placed third in the best paper competition, but says it was the relationships he made at the conference that made him walk away feeling like a winner.  

“I made a lot of friends there that I still talk to,” he said. “It was like the friendships I’ve made with my classmates and lab partners, where we get to grow and learn from one another together.”

Relationships like these remind him of his father, his first lab partner. Some of his favorite memories were following his father around his engineering office as a child. 

“He’s always been there for me, especially when it comes to engineering,” said Hayne. “He would help me with school projects, and he was always involved with my science fairs and Science Olympiad. It was something we did together.” 

Hayne plans to channel all of the experiences he’s had and the lessons he’s learned as he eagerly prepares for his upcoming job search. 

“More than anything, I want to find a career where I can look back and see that I had an impact,” he explained. “I want to be able to look back and feel like I changed the way people view something, the way people use something or make something that can make it easier for people to use something.”

Midday sunlight pours through large windows, illuminating Esther Chukwujekwu’s sewing table at home. The 蜜糖直播 Master of Business Administration student is hard at work, hemming her latest creation: a new dress made from a stretchy red velvet.聽

“The thing I love about velvet is that it isn’t like any other fabric,” she said. “I love the look you get when it’s stretched or draped. It’s so luxurious.” 

She stitches quickly with a speed granted only to those with a mastery of the craft. Chukwujekwu has worked as a dressmaker for more than seven years. She started as a pattern designer at Martwayne Fashion Institute. 

“It was hard work!” she said, laughing. “Some days, I would come home and cry. I’d say ‘I’m not going to come back’! And then the next day, I’d remember why I fell in love with it all over again. It’s just something I couldn’t stay away from.”

Chukwujekwu worked tirelessly to hone her skills before launching her own business, designing and creating couture dresses for clients in her native Nigeria. 

“So much goes into dressmaking,” she explained. “From developing the pattern to the fabric you use, getting the right measurements, and so on. You have to make sure your stitches are clean, that the zipper is sitting properly.” 

But she realized she needed a little something extra to help her streamline operations.

” I didn’t have that business background,” she explained. “So I wanted to find a university program that could teach me how to structure and operate my business efficiently. So I started doing my research.鈥�

Friends attending 蜜糖直播 encouraged her to see what the university had to offer. 

“I found the curriculum for the Master’s of Business Administration online,” she said. “I saw courses that covered subjects like operations management, finance management and business analytics. So I applied and was so excited when I was accepted.”聽

She only needed to figure out how to get to the United States. But she knew she would make it. 

“The first time I left the country was in a dream,” she explained. “It was a dream I kept having over and over again. I knew that one day I was going to leave because God would open a door for me to go through.”

Getting to the United States was only the first step in Chukwujekwu鈥檚 journey. She credits the MBA program with pushing her beyond her limits. 

“I really don’t know how I did it,” she admitted. “But I had a vision. And while it was my creativity that brought me here, the program made me realize that no one thing defines me. It’s made my relationship with my craft and my business stronger.”

Chukwujekwu will graduate in fall 2025, with plans to complete a graduate certificate in spring 2026. But as her family cheers her on across the stage at the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center this fall, she knows that her father won’t be joining the applause. 

“My father wanted me to be a doctor,” she explained. “African parents take pride in what their children are becoming or who their children are. If something doesn’t look good for them, they take it very personally as a blow to their identity.” 

“He didn’t like what I was doing,” Chukwujekwu said. “Our relationship was tense. I would come back some days from jobs, and I would be locked outside.”

She moved in with a friend after she turned 18.

“Ultimately, I’m grateful,” she said. “It forced me to become more confident in myself.”   

The sun has begun to set as Chukwejuku finishes up the last of her stitching. She sets her needle and thread down, sitting back to admire her work.  

“One of the things fashion school trained me for was knowing that hard work can create something beautiful,” she explained. “That’s what I found at 蜜糖直播, and it’s something I’m never going to stop looking for.”

What if you didn’t have to choose between a professional career and personal passion? 

Genevieve Morea, a dual philosophy and political science major and 蜜糖直播 fall 2025 Honors College graduate, says that passion and profession go hand in hand.

Morea had always dreamed of pursuing a career in the legal field while living in Richmond Hill, Georgia, making political science an intuitive decision when she came to 蜜糖直播 in August 2021. 

“I was specifically very interested in policy and advocacy, so I wanted to have a degree that really helped me understand not just the law, but also how it impacts communities and how I could help communities,” Morea said. 

However, her decision to pursue a dual major and add philosophy to her educational toolbelt came later, as a “happy surprise.”  

“I felt like I needed something to complement political science 鈥� I felt like there was something I was missing. After I took Intro to Philosophy, I was like, ‘OK, this is it,” she said. 

Her passion for philosophy helped her reach soaring new heights, earning Morea the Philosophy and Religious Studies Department’s Best Paper Award for “Condemned to Break the Law: The Legality and Fairness of Anti-Camping Laws in Response to the Homelessness Crisis,” which was also published in Stance: An International Undergraduate Philosophy Journal in April 2025. 

During her undergraduate studies, she also defended her Honors thesis, 鈥淭he Influence of Grounds of Persecution in Asylum Cases on the U.S. Courts of Appeals,鈥� analyzing over 100 asylum cases heard by the Court of Appeals to prepare for the biannual 蜜糖直播 Honors Symposium. 

“I saw the thesis as an opportunity to do something that maybe I wouldn’t have been able to do in my classes,鈥� she explained. 鈥淚 worked with Dr. Maureen Stobb, as her research assistant on a refugee project which gave me experience in the field of legal research and inspired me to form my own thesis for the symposium.鈥�

During her undergraduate studies, Morea served in the University’s Model United Nations program, mentoring and educating fellow delegates while also competing in the 蜜糖直播 Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl, where she helped lead her team to Nationals. 

Morea plans to attend law school after graduation and has started her search for prospective schools. She hopes to use her background in political science and philosophy to provide a holistic approach while navigating the nuances of public policy and law. Although she looks forward to opening the next chapter in her story, Morea said that her time at 蜜糖直播 has been invaluable and cherishes the skills and memories she acquired as an undergraduate student. 

“I’m excited to learn more,” she said. “I’ve had such an amazing experience at 蜜糖直播 that it really helped me understand what my goals are, and I’m excited to get more exposure to my field and enhance the skills I’ve gained through being at 蜜糖直播.”

When Alejandra Daniel crosses the graduation stage with her master’s in biology, she will be one step closer to a childhood dream some said was impossible. As an exceptional dancer growing up, many people saw a future for her in ballet. 

When Daniel expressed interest in science, some tried to stop her from pursuing it, going so far as to tell her she could not handle an academic career and should stick to dance where she was naturally gifted. She began her college years as a dance major, but quickly realized that her hobby was not her career.

鈥淚 had worked really hard at dance my whole life, and I had a crisis thinking 鈥榠s this really what I want to do?鈥欌�� said Daniel. 鈥淚 did not feel like I was making a difference. I did not think I was going to have an impact on the world.鈥�

Casting the words of her skeptics aside, Daniel transferred to 蜜糖直播 and enrolled as a biology student where she took the work ethic she built as a dancer and applied it to the classroom. Late nights at the studio became study sessions at the library. The names of French ballet techniques gave way to Latin words for species classifications. Headphones were no longer for dance track rehearsal, they were for locking in on class notes.

Daniel quickly became hooked on science. Most importantly, she realized she excelled at it. She completed her bachelor鈥檚 degree and moved on to a master鈥檚 program. The moment she knew she had what it takes to be a professional scientist happened nearly 100 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean after Professor of Biology Danny Gleason, Ph.D., encouraged Daniel to learn scuba diving so she could study the coral species of Gray鈥檚 Reef firsthand.

鈥淚 was scared because I was going to be underwater carrying so much gear and it was a lot to handle,鈥� said Daniel. 鈥淭hen I got down to the seafloor and realized I was really good at it. All of the dance practice, the hours of training myself to control each part of my body, came back to me and I was right at home with the current.鈥�

The health of coral reefs became Daniel鈥檚 favorite topic. Her research on corals gave her the experience of a lifetime when she visited the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia. She spent three weeks living on an island, diving the reef and examining the vibrant sea life there. Daniel credits the support she received from faculty like Tyler Cyronak, Ph.D., assistant professor and manager of the Coastal Carbon Laboratory, with helping her build the confidence to seize these opportunities she once dreamed of.

鈥淒r. Cyronak is incredibly encouraging,鈥� said Daniel. 鈥淗e is very open to my ideas and is excited about discussing the projects I take on.鈥�

Even before receiving her master鈥檚 degree, Daniel鈥檚 next chapter of scientific discovery is already underway. She is enrolled as a Presidential Doctoral Research Fellow at 蜜糖直播 to pursue a Ph.D. in environmental science, on track to become a Triple Eagle. Daniel鈥檚 goal is to continue studying coral reefs to create a healthier ocean, and in turn, a healthier world. As she works to build her own dream career, she wants young women to know that there is a place for them in whatever field they choose, no matter what detractors might say.

鈥淚 understand why it feels like you are not good enough, but do not believe that feeling,鈥� said Daniel. 鈥淲ith enough hard work, dedication and passion, you can achieve anything you dream of.鈥�

Kyndal Harp has been running to her school desk every day since the first day of kindergarten. But it wasn’t because she was late, nor was she trying to beat the bell; she just couldn’t wait to start learning. 

That same enthusiasm was with her as she crossed the graduation stage during 蜜糖直播’s Spring 2025 Commencement ceremony to accept her Master of Arts in Teaching for Elementary Education. 

“I’ve always been excited to go to school!” she laughed. “And I feel like it was because I was obsessed with learning as much as I possibly could.”  

She credits this to growing up in Macon, Georgia.

“Macon isn’t a small town, but the lack of diversity made it feel small to me,” she explained. “My mother was a writer, so my childhood was always fueled by an exploration of stories in books, or plays, or another form of storytelling.” 

The worlds she read about looked quite different from the streets that stretched far beyond the Bibb County lines. So for her, there was no question that she would leave her hometown when it came to college. That’s what brought her to 蜜糖直播. 

“My undergraduate degree was in interdisciplinary studies,” she said. “My emphasis was three years of computer science. But in my last year, my concentration was in international studies. The long-term goal was to work in a tech company overseas.” 

But the career landscape was rocky when she graduated in 2020, so she had to adjust her plans.  

“I chose to work for a few years,” said Harp. “I thought I was going to law school. I was a paralegal for a while. I thought I wanted to pursue this and that. But the more I got into those fields, I realized that they weren’t going to get me where I wanted to be in my career.”

It was the solitude of the pandemic that delivered her epiphany. 

“I figured out that I wanted to be closer to people, and law wasn’t as close as I wanted it to be,” she said. “It was then that I realized I really do have a passion for celebrating other cultures and making people feel like they belong.”

She returned to 蜜糖直播, diving back into classes with the same enthusiasm she had as an elementary school student. That timeless excitement for learning is what led her to pursue a master鈥檚 in teaching in elementary education.

“I thought about teaching middle school, or even high school, just because with the older, upper grades, you can focus on something,” she explained. “But honestly, the younger kids have more fun. And I like having a good time. I’ve really gotten to enjoy seeing their curiosity and their wonder when they learn new things. Younger kids can do so much more than I think we give them credit for. So it felt like a nice mix. “

Harp鈥檚 degree journey also brought her love of international studies back to the forefront of her mind, directing her attention to educating bilingual students. 

“I realized I could highlight students of different cultures,” she explained. “Help them understand what a gift they have, and live among people just like them and people different from them. I make sure my students have what they need to be the type of adults that I want to see in the future.” 

Harp was placed at a Dual Language Immersion (DLI) school in DeKalb County, where she worked with another teacher, instructing children in both Spanish and English. 

“My students ask amazing questions,” she said, smiling. “They ask questions that adults would ask. It’s a really fun experience to see my students engage in conversation about the things that affect different cultures than their own and place value on this language and the people who speak it. Kids are amazing, and it’s so exciting to think about the potential that all of them have.” 

And she’s thrilled to keep answering those questions, moving forward as a second grade teacher in a DLI program teaching English and social studies. 

“I’m excited to be giving my students what they need for the next phase of life,” she said. “I want them to walk away knowing they aren’t defined by their limitations or their mistakes and shortfalls.”