These graduating Jayhawks are fascinated by the way the world works. From the individual, to the local, to social media, to crises across the globe, their studies have prepared them to make a difference at all levels, and they're already making an impact. Some found their passion for the social sciences straight out of high-school, others while working jobs in public service. But they are all united in their dedication to taking the skills and knowledge they learned at KU into the world and making it a better place.

Kierstin McMichael is the definition of busy. Between leadership positions and jobs on campus, reading and studying hundreds of pages a week for her English major, working  with not just one but two distinguished professors, and advising fellow students, she finds little time for sleep, let alone downtime. But being tired is worth it to do what she loves, which put simply, is seizing every opportunity to grow as a leader and a scholar and helping others do the same. “On days where I’m tired, I just think about how much I’ve had to do to even get to this point and it would really be a shame if I gave up now. When you have passion driving you forward, it makes it a little bit worth it, to do what you have to do to make things happen,” she said.

Evan Traylor is the kind of person who goes after what he wants and doesn’t look back. From his first campus tour, Evan knew KU was the right fit – so it was the only college he applied to. He decided on his double major in political science and Jewish studies and minor in leadership studies even before his freshman year. Growing up, Evan was always connected to the Jewish community and now he has accepted a role as the first Presidential Fellow for Millennial Engagement for the Union for Reform Judaism, an organization he’s worked with since high school. Before he walks down the Hill and sets off for New York City, we had the chance to ask Evan about his new job and days of high school show choir. 

In the six years Cindy Sexton has organized the Department of Psychology’s graduation ceremony, she’s seen hundreds of students walk across the stage. This year, she’ll be focused on one student in particular. Her daughter will walk across the stage, marking the completion of her bachelor’s degree in psychology. Watching her own daughter graduate in a ceremony she organized is the culmination of 18 years of perseverance and determination. Since her daughter, Chelsea Sandy, was 3 years old, Cindy has been saving $25 per paycheck to pay for Chelsea’s college education. At about the same time, Chelsea’s father died and Cindy began working for KU’s psychology department.

When pundits and the public turn their attention to Iowa and its presidential caucuses every four years, J. Ann Selzer has become something of a political celebrity. In 2008, when Hillary Clinton was pursuing her first bid for president, Selzer predicted an upset victory from Barack Obama. Her pronouncement had its skeptics. But they were silenced when the high voter turnout that Selzer had predicted vaulted Obama to a win in Iowa. Since that moment, her place as the polling guru of Iowa has been cemented.

If you’ve struggled with deciding on a major, you’re not alone – you’re actually in the majority. About 80 percent of college-bound students don’t settle on a major before coming to campus according to MyMajors.com. With so many options, many of which cover subjects that aren’t taught in high schools, it’s no surprise that most students take some time before committing to a major. “It was easy to choose my French minor because I’d been studying French since I was a freshman in high school, but choosing my major was difficult,” said Justin Evans, junior majoring in anthropology and minoring in French. During his first few semesters at KU, Evans said, he enrolled in a number of courses that deal with the study of humans, such as sociology and linguistics. These courses prompted his passion for exploring questions about the “why” behind human history.

2015 was a big year for Alina Zheng; in the same year that she celebrated her sweet 16, she also earned a bachelor’s degree from KU. Alina said she was able to accelerate through education from a young age, and with Advanced Placement credits and careful planning she was able to graduate from KU in just two and half years. She was honored at the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences undergraduate recognition ceremony on Dec. 13 and was greeted on stage by her father Charlie Zheng, KU professor of aerospace engineering. We asked Alina about her favorite KU memories and her childhood dream of becoming president. 

Major: Political science, minors in mathematics and economics

As an intern, Melissa Fontana wasn’t making coffee; she was making a difference. Using the interpersonal and communication skills she learned in her classes, Melissa developed meaningful relationships with students supported by the HALO Foundation. 

Hometown: Highland Park, IL 

Major and Minor: Communication studies major, business minor 

Internship title and company: Youth development intern at The HALO Foundation (Helping Art Liberate Orphans), a non-profit based in Kansas City that supports young people in orphanages and learning centers worldwide.

Garrett Farlow spent his summer halfway around the world in Kazakhstan working to help journalists break away from government censorship and playing sports with the National Special Olympics team. Casual. We asked Garrett to tell us all about this incredible experience and how he overcame the intimidation factor of interning overseas. 

Hometown: Tecumseh, KS 

Majors: Journalism, Slavic Language & Literature and Political Science 

Two College of Liberal Arts & Sciences professors were honored with teaching awards during the 2015 KU Teaching Summit in August. Associate Professor of Theatre Nicole Hodges Persley received the Byron T. Shutz Award for Excellence in Teaching, and Associate Professor of Communication Studies Jeffrey A. Hall received the Ned N. Fleming Trust Teaching Award. We caught up with both winners to find out a little more about their teaching style and favorite KU memories. 

Nicole Hodges Persley, associate professor of theatre 

Hometown: Born in Detroit Michigan, 

Major Dan Rooney, an F-16 pilot in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, was on a commercial flight in 2006 that would end up changing his life and guiding his future.