Megan Ritzman
Subject studied: Interdisciplinary Studies
Type of degree: Bachelor of Arts
Future plans: To attend graduate school and get my Master’s Degree in Social Work.
What is the most meaningful lesson you learned through your studies?
To understand that not everybody is going to think the same way you do and believe in the same things you do. Moving away to college really helped me realize certain things that I truly believe in, and what I believe is worth standing up for. I have realized that not everybody is going to think the same way I do about certain issues, and that is something we just have to deal with in life.
What advice would you give young adults in Pacific County who may soon head to college?
To make sure they find a good balance between the social life of being away at college and their studies. It is easy to get caught up in the social aspect of everything and sometimes you have to remind yourself that you are there to go to school. If you find a good balance, you will get the most out of your experience.
Megan Ritzman, WVHS Class of 2010
University of Washington
Honors: Dean’s list seven quarters, cumulative GPA 3.45, HIHIM Major GPA 3.8
Subject studied: Major in Health Informatics & Health Information Management (HIHIM) with a Disability Studies Minor
Type of degree: Bachelor of Science
Future plans: I plan to take my registered health information administrator (RHIA) credentialing exam within the next month. After passing the exam I plan to begin job searching around Pacific, Lewis, and Thurston County. I would like to work in a Release of Information department or under the Privacy or Compliance Officer. Eventually, I plan to go back to UW for my Masters in HIHIM and then work my way up to becoming a Privacy Officer or Compliance Officer of a hospital.
What is the most meaningful lesson you learned through your studies?
The most meaningful lesson I learned throughout my time at the UW was to take time to meet new people and to always be kind to everyone because you never know what they may be going through. Everyone goes through hard times at some point in their life and even something as simple as a smile may make the difference in someone’s day.
What advice would you give young adults in Pacific County who may soon head to college?
I would tell future college students to stay focused and keep working towards the end goal. There may be many setbacks along the way but you have to keep pushing yourself to finish college. Have fun, but not too much fun. College is a great accomplishment that will open many opportunities for you so stick it out and don’t give up. Also I would tell students who would like to go to UW but are hesitant to live in the big city that it is not as bad as it seems. You get used to the busy city life and in the end you just appreciate our little community even more.
Andrea Schiller, SBHS Class of 2009
Western Washington University
Honors: Outstanding Graduate of the Year for the Behavioral Neuroscience Department, 3.62 GPA
Subject studied: Behavioral Neuroscience major, Chemistry minor
Type of degree: Bachelor of Arts
Future plans: I was accepted into the Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) program at the University of Washington School of Dentistry and will start this fall.
What is the most meaningful lesson you learned through your studies?
The most meaningful lesson I learned in my studies was to make sure to take a moment every once in a while to acknowledge what I have accomplished so far. College can be hard and having self-motivation and self-confidence are the keys to getting through it successfully.
What advice would you give young adults in Pacific County who may soon head to college?
My advice would be to utilize the resources around you and don’t be nervous to ask for help or guidance. Keep an open mind when exploring your options and while in college, try out as many new things as you can. College can be a lot of fun and it is much more than just classes and exams.
Jessica Lynn Webber, RHS Class of 2010
Eastern Washington University
Honors: Graduated with honors, 3.6 GPA
Subject studied: Elementary Education
Type of degree: Bachelor of Arts
Future plans: Substitute until I find an actual teaching job on the west side of the state.
What is the most meaningful lesson you learned through your studies?
That hard word truly pays off. I worked very hard to get the grades that I received. Also, to be thankful for what you have. I was blessed with being placed in a great second grade classroom, with amazing students, and a wonderful master teacher who helped me through my entire journey.
What advice would you give young adults in Pacific County who may soon head to college?
To put your best effort into your education. The better the grades, the more scholarships you are likely to receive, even when you are already in college. This has helped me tremendously with college expenses. Like they say, hard work pays off, literally.
Editor's Note: If you know someone who is a 2014 college graduate, send us their information to theherald@flannerypubs.com.