A recent Fort Hays State University graduate is an exceptional example of why Fort Hays is a place students can come to achieve their goals. Morgan Hammersmith recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a minor in Biology, and was accepted into medical school.

Getting into medical school is a major accomplishment and Morgan achieved it on her first try. FHSU prepared Morgan for this moment since the very beginning. She was a part of the White Coats Living Learning Community, which helped her start her college career with like-minded peers in a seminar class geared toward medicine. Her advisor, Dr. Balthazor, Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, helped Morgan by keeping her on track. She built many personal relationships with her professors, which was helpful when asking for recommendation letters.

Morgan spent her time wisely at Fort Hays, seizing as many opportunities as she could. She was a cheerleader, a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, participated in chemistry research, and worked at TigerTech. Morgan believes being involved at FHSU is important because she met so many people and established connections that could be helpful later in life. Morgan said she met some of her best friends through cheer and enjoyed being on the sidelines with them, especially basketball, because they got to be up close in the game's action. One of Morgan’s favorite events was the Tiger Invitational, a competitive cheerleading competition hosted by FHSU. She credits the competition for pushing her out of her comfort zone since competitive cheerleading was a new experience for her. As a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, the professional business fraternity on campus, Morgan volunteered in service work, participated in different events, and attended various business trips and conventions. Her favorite part about being involved with AKPsi was meeting new people. Morgan enjoyed working for TigerTech as the hours were built around her class schedule, and she loved her coworkers.

The life of a college student can be very hectic when involved with so many different activities. Earning a chemistry degree takes hard work and dedication, especially when you have a busy life like Morgan did. To keep track of all her events, such as practices, class, work, etc., she used Google Calendar. To prevent burnout, which is common for heavily-involved students, she scheduled “relaxing time” and used the “25-5” method, where she would zone in on studying for 25 minutes at a time and then take a five-minute break to check her phone, eat a snack or stretch. “It really helps cut out distractions when you know you will have a small block of time to do all those extra things,” Morgan said.

Morgan is an excellent example of a student who thrived while at FHSU. She set her mind to a goal and achieved it with the help of her family, friends, teammates, and professors. Morgan believes every student at FHSU has the opportunity to flourish in any endeavor they choose. As her time as a tiger came to a close, she advises upcoming students to: “Get involved with at least one organization and keep an open mind to potential career opportunities! FHSU provides tons of different events and groups, so there is something for everyone. Don’t spread yourself too thin but get involved and meet some people outside your classes.”