Internship assistant Megan Hellmer is one of four students in the running for 2018’s Koehler Award, the most prestigious award given at the annual Honors Banquet.

Hellmer, a senior psychology major and religion minor, is quite the prolific Muskie. Although Hellmer is a commuter, she still involves herself in extracurriculars. She is a member of the psychology club and conversation partners and is Vice President of the commuters club. Hellmer has participated as a Blue and Gold Champion for three years. She is part of the honors program. She also brought her bright personality to the cross country team, where she was manager this past fall.

“My freshman year, I wasn’t active on campus at all,” Hellmer confessed. “I didn’t feel connected to Lakeland. I wanted to change that. I started working for the success coaches and realized how many great opportunities there were for me on campus through different student organizations, employment and stuff that I hadn’t even realized existed. I wanted to become a more active leader on campus to ensure that other students on campus would find ways to become connected like I had.”

Throughout the years, a certain request from former Lakeland President Dan Eck drove Hellmer. “I remember at Opening Convocation of my freshman year, Dan Eck said ‘Take care of yourself, take care of each other, take care of this place,’” Hellmer recalled. “I loved hearing that and to this day still get emotional remembering becoming a part of the Lakeland family that day. My biggest hope is that when I leave Lakeland I can say that I lived out that request throughout my time here.”

Hellmer hopes her efforts will show. “I’d like to think that when I walk across the stage at graduation, there will be students, faculty, maybe even staff members who will say that I have had a positive impact on this place,” she said.

Megan isn’t looking to leave Lakeland quite yet. Hellmer is planning to stick around for the Master of Arts in Counseling (MAC) program with an emphasis in higher education so she can continue to work with college students.