MiKayla Valvick, University of Minnesota Rochester

MiKayla Valvick is a senior at the University of Minnesota Rochester pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences degree. MiKayla is particularly self-reflective and intentional about her own purpose and life pursuits. Having grown up in a very small, rural town, MiKayla is the first member of her family to pursue a four-year college degree. Throughout her time at UMR, she has intentionally sought out experiences that would push her outside of her comfort zone, including international travel, service as a diversity educator, and direct patient care in community-based settings including assisted living and hospice care. In addition, MiKayla has initiated two new on-campus leadership roles, and now serves as our lead Peer Adviser for Community Engagement, as well as a Teaching Assistant for a new course at UMR: Living on Purpose. Her leadership roles involve mentoring other students and helping them find purpose through their academic, community/volunteer, and career exploration pursuits. MiKayla has distinguished herself as a leader because of her commitment to continual improvement, emotional maturity, appreciation for diversity, and deep listening skills. She aspires to continue her career in entrepreneurial capacities where she can continue to help young people discover purpose and passions through meaningful engagements.