Campus community celebrates spring graduates

The last week of the semester is an exciting week for all graduating seniors, particularly so for MiKayla Galloway, who graduated with  a double major in Chemistry and Spanish, and learned she will receive a Fulbright award to teach internationally.

Galloway, from Oconomowoc, Wis., is the first Mount Mary student to receive a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) grant. She will spend the 2019-20 academic year teaching in Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgyz Republic is one of five independent states of central Asia, and shares a border with China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.

Wearing a mortarboard decorated with the words “Que tus sueños sean más grandes que tus miedos” (translated as “may your dreams be greater than your fears”), Galloway credited Mount Mary faculty members as her primary cheerleaders, particularly science professors Steven Levsen and Justin Huestoft, Spanish professor Jason Meyler and Director of International Studies Nan Metzger.

“It makes it so much easier when you have a team behind you,” Galloway said.

Galloway came to Mount Mary as a sophomore, transferring from a different local college because she wanted greater connection and support. Here, she became involved in numerous organizations, such as Beta Beta Beta, an honor society for students of the biological sciences. She also served as a representative to student government. Galloway is also an honors student, and was inducted into Alpha Mu Gamma, a national collegiate foreign language honor society.

“I love it here,” she said. “Everyone cares and wants us to be successful.”

This summer before she leaves on her Fulbright experience, Galloway will participate in an internship at the Medical College of Wisconsin through its Student Program for Advancing Research in Cancer Careers (SPARCC) program.

Although Galloway’s goal is to attend medical school, the year teaching English is not out-of-step with her ultimate plans. She has set her sights on becoming a neurosurgeon for Doctors Without Borders, integrating her Spanish major and international foundation into her medical career.

“I have a lot of interests and they are well spread around,” she said. “I’m interested in learning and have received such help and support that has kept me motivated.”

Galloway was among the 270 students graduating Saturday, May 18 from Mount Mary. The University awarded 15 doctorate degrees, 140 graduate degrees and 115 undergraduate degrees. For highlights about the 2018-2019 school year, visit mtmary.edu/graduation. 

To view photos from Saturday's Commencement or Friday evening's Lantern of Learning event (above), visit Mount Mary's facebook page.