Lisa Martin is a wife, mother, full-time employee and non-traditional student completing her degree with the flexibility of the KU College Online. Here's Lisa's story.

Major: B.G.S. Liberal Arts & Sciences Online

Why did you choose your major? I chose my major in part because it was an option offered by KU that allowed me to obtain a Bachelor's degree 100% online. However, learning the flexibility that comes with a Liberal Arts & Science degree made the final decision-making process easy.

Major: B.S. biology (Molecular, Cellular and Develeopmental Biology), pre-med track

What would you tell your freshman self? I transferred to KU sophomore year and attended a community college before, but I would tell myself to get involved in campus organizations early!

What is the benefit of being in the College, studying alongside students studying sciences, arts and humanities? I think the benefit of being alongside students of so many academic majors is that you really get a sense of everything there is to offer at KU. It adds multiple perspectives on questions, and you learn to see perspectives from every angle possible.

Recent KU film and media studies grad Cody Boston found his home and purpose at KJHK, KU's student-run radio station. As KJHK's Multimedia Director, Cody put the skills he learned in the classroom to work, pulling together the popular Thursday night show "Live @ KJHK." From booking bands, to overseeing the filming, editing and sharing of the show, to hosting as DJ Boston, Cody gained a wealth of real-world work experience, perfectly complementing his studies. These are skills and experiences that he drew upon both working as a videographer for the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and during the summers of 2016 and 2017, working for Kansas City Public Television.

Majors: Women, gender and sexuality studies major and psychology, business and human sexuality minors. 

Hometown: Topeka, Kansas 

What has been your favorite class at KU? And why? I loved my WGSS 101 class. I was expecting a class of 300 people, but found my way to a room of about 20. We were students from different majors, different family backgrounds, and students from all over the world. It enhanced the class 10 fold.

Combining classes in photography, sign language, biology & anthropology, junior McKenzie Cory takes full advantage of all the variety the College and KU has to offer. Oh, and she's interning at Topeka Zoo too, and crafting in her spare time. Busy, busy. In March 2017, we handed McKenzie the keys to our Instagram account to show us what it's like to take "a crazy variety of classes" in one week, and because we wanted to see all the cute animals at the zoo!

Here's KU from McKenzie's point of view:

Ask Insia Zufer why she studies biology, and she'll give you an answer that extends far beyond a passion for fieldwork. By exploring how and why humans, animals and even a blade of grass work, Insia discovers the connections that unite us all to each other, and to the planet. She added minors in psychology and film to gain new ways of looking at the world, and to explore her love of the arts. For this Jayhawk, the subjects she studies help shape her worldview.

Savannah Pine lives and breathes history. It's a passion that has directed her days since she arrived at KU, and she dreams of working as a professor beyond graduation. But her curiosity reaches beyond the boundaries of a history major.  Savannah approaches the past in the same way she lives in the present, seeking connections and lessons from people living, working and thinking in diverse ways. At KU, Savannah takes full advantage of all the expertise, resources and opportunities available across the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Curiosity for a wide range of classes led Savannah to add a European studies major and a minor in English.

"Take advantage of all the opportunities that you have, while you can." That's the advice of self-proclaimed "weather nerd" and aspiring broadcast meteorologist Carson Vickroy. It's a mantra that he lives by, and one that has brought him happiness and success in pursuit of his dream career. It was when he was in third grade that Carson first became fascinated by the weather. That year, he watched as Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. A year later, a tornado landed near a track-meet, and Carson's passion was cemented. He wanted to know about the science behind the weather and to learn more about forecasting.

Speaking to Korbin Painter, you are instantly struck by his love for learning about the past. He's curious about how and why people lived, and the ways they were affected by seismic political changes. These interests led Korbin to a honors thesis researching the lives of lesbian women living under the Nazi regime in Germany, investigating their struggles and resistance. How and why did he pursue this topic? Korbin always wants to gain a deep understanding of the worlds he studies, and takes an entrepreneurial approach to his research. When he encounters new questions, he seeks the classes needed to answer them from across the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.

A career in the US army sparked Rebecca Rumptz's passion for international diplomacy. Originally from a small town in Michigan, she joined the Army straight out of high school and spent the next seven years as a soldier working in intelligence analysis.  Assignments in Germany, Iraq and Afghanistan, and a period in Washington D.C. fueled her passions further. A desire to learn more led her to KU.

October Davis loves teaching history. It's her career calling. So when she arrived at KU, she enrolled in the School of Education and began developing the skills, knowledge and experience needed to become a secondary education teacher. And she's never looked back. But, like so many aspiring teachers October was also passionate about the subject she wanted to teach. Reading, researching and writing history sparked a fire in October that she could not ignore. Even though it would take her a little longer to graduate, October decided to pursue her passion by enrolling in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and adding a history major to her education degree. Speaking to October now, it is easy to see why it was a great decision. When she talks about history, her eyes light up, a large smile crosses her face, and she bubbles with enthusiasm.