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. 

Four years ago Gabe Alaniz never would have agreed that a liberal arts degree at a large, research university would be the best place to study theatre. Now? This accidental Jayhawk wouldn’t change a thing. First-generation college students face numerous challenges when arriving on a college campus. Alaniz, a senior from Overland Park, faced the usual challenges and more when he decided to go against everyone’s advice and major in the arts – a choice he has never once regretted. Alaniz became a Jayhawk “by accident.” His plan was to attend a conservatory-style school somewhere other than Kansas to study theatre. In crept doubt, and Alaniz applied to KU to study broadcast journalism – which didn’t last long. He spent his first year at KU following his advisors’ guidance and taking classes across many disciplines to find his niche.

Growing up in a town of less than 150 people tends to leave an impression on a person.  Emily Lenherr’s experience was such a positive one, she planned her future around returning to it. Lenherr, a senior from Windom, is a neurobiology major on her way to the University of Kansas Medical School in the fall. She’ll be part of the Scholars in Rural Health and Kansas Medical Student Loan programs with the plan of returning to her rural roots as a doctor. Lenherr has always been fascinated by the brain and the way biology affects illness. She fell in love with KU after visiting campus on a high school Junior Day, and then fell hard for neurobiology, for its vastness and mystery. Lenherr plans to use that mystery to shed light on mental health in rural Kansas communities.

One week into her first desk job, avid hiker and outdoorsman Rachael Boothe knew that she wanted to trade in her computer screen for fresh air and scenic views. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in management information systems, Rachael spent her days coding in a cube. But during a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, she found her true calling when she met two members of the forest service and jokingly asked how they got their jobs.

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.