It isn’t too often that a college student can fill out a double major at Michigan State University by traveling abroad. But that is exactly what 2010 Notre Dame Prep graduate Morgan Hoxsie did during the last two summers.
This past June and July, Hoxsie worked in international research in Chennai, India, at the Center of Non-Destructive Evaluation at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) – Madras. Her main project consisted of working with glass-epoxy samples to determine the effect an impact on the material has on its performance and stress/strain.
Hoxsie near the Golconda Fort in Hyderabad, India.
Hoxsie said her typical research day in India started around 10 a.m. “We took the IIT campus bus to the lab everyday because it was too hot to walk. In the morning we read articles and prepped our samples. Once we were all set up, we tested samples and recorded data. I worked closely with another student from MSU as well as an IIT graduate student.”
During her stay in India, Hoxsie was able to find time to take a number of weekend trips around India. She visited the Indian cities of Pondicherry, Mahabalipuram, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Delhi.
“It was interesting to see how each city had a little different culture and feel to them,” she says. “The highlight of my travels around the country, however, was definitely visiting the Taj Mahal.”
From Asia to Europe
After her research program finished, she had the opportunity to travel in Europe for about a week and a half. She visited Paris, the Swiss Alps, Munich, Venice and Amsterdam, all of which provided a much different experience than her experience in India, Hoxsie says, but still a great one.
“The views of the Swiss Alps were spectacular. It was fairly cool and snow was on the top of the mountains, which was a nice change from the heat of India.”
Meanwhile, Hoxsie’s now back closer to sea level and continuing her studies in East Lansing. She is in the school’s College of Engineering pursuing an engineering degree, along with a separate major in Spanish. Getting to that degree track for Hoxsie, however, was not by traveling on a straight and narrow path or through one or two doors.
“After graduating from NDP, I chose to attend MSU because I thought becoming a Spartan opened so many doors of opportunities for me,” she says. “But maybe I explored too many doors during my first two years at MSU. I tried out eight, yes eight(!) different majors, from pre-dental to human development to hospitality business. I landed in the College of Engineering because of the rigor and challenge I thought it would provide me. I had been taking Spanish classes and always planned on having the additional major in Spanish.”
She says that being heavily involved in the Spanish Honor Society at NDP “showed me that Spanish can be fun. I’ve just stuck with it ever since!”
Spain, here I come
During the summer of 2012, Hoxsie had the opportunity to study abroad in Valencia, Spain, for eight weeks to earn credits for her Spanish major. “I took nine credits at a school in Valencia, and lived with a host family in the city. That actually was the best way to improve my Spanish proficiency.”
Though currently she’s not traveling as much as before, it appears that Hoxsie is staying busy, as if studying for two majors isn’t enough. At MSU, she’s taken full advantage of the numerous extracurricular activities available to students. “I am currently the president of the MSU chapter of Chi Epsilon, which is the Civil Engineering Honors Society,” Hoxsie says. “I also participate in the Society of Women Engineers and serve on the executive board as community service chair. In addition, I maintain the website and social-media pages as webmaster of the MSU chapter of Habitat for Humanity, and I continue to be active within the Greek community on campus with the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority.”
She is a very busy young lady, and one who is very appreciative of how her high school alma mater prepared her for the many challenges and opportunities she’s had since graduating in 2010. “The rigor of the curriculum at NDP instilled in me a constant need for a challenge,” says Hoxsie, who was part of Notre Dame Prep’s first International Baccalaureate class. “Coming to MSU, I explored many majors and decided on engineering because I thought it would constantly challenge me and take me to new heights.”
After finishing up at MSU, Hoxsie hopes to become a successful civil engineer working in the transportation field. “I hope to receive my Professional Engineering certification after graduation and wouldn’t mind staying in Michigan because my family is here and this is home for me. But I am open to moving elsewhere if my job requires it,” she says.
Follow Notre Dame at @NDPMA.
About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.