When Seattle from the small ranching town of Elma, Washington (population 3,000), she carried two suitcases, a partial scholarship, and a deep, unspoken anxiety. She was the first in her immediate family to attend a four-year university. Four years later, she is the student body’s deputy director of sustainability, a published undergraduate researcher, and a testament to the power of showing up—even when you feel you don’t belong.
That is the power of one student who came to—not just to a campus, but to a sense of purpose. megan murkovski a university student came to
Within a month, Megan switched majors. It was the first of many courageous decisions. Transitioning from a conservative-leaning small town to a progressive campus wasn’t without friction. Megan found that her nuanced views—skeptical of corporate greenwashing but also wary of performative activism—didn’t always fit neatly into campus factions. When Seattle from the small ranching town of
When asked what advice she would give to incoming first-generation students, Megan pauses. That is the power of one student who
The poster won first place at the university’s undergraduate research symposium. More importantly, it caught the attention of the state’s Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, which invited Megan to consult on a new climate resilience curriculum for rural districts. No inspiring student story is complete without setbacks. Megan’s came during the spring of her junior year, when she attempted to launch a student-led community garden on a neglected plot of campus land. Despite months of planning, the project stalled due to disagreements over land use, funding, and maintenance responsibilities. The garden never broke ground that year.
Her findings were stark: 78% of students believed climate change would affect their future, but only 12% felt any adult in their community took their concerns seriously.