Katherine McCann

Katherine McCann

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Why Furman? I am a third-generation Furman student, so my story begins all the way back in the 1950s when my grandfather decided to attend Furman. Then, my mom came to Furman in the ‘90s. Needless to say, I felt a bit of pressure to at least consider Furman and being from Greenville that also made sense. I, however, had always told myself I was going to go somewhere far away and become very independent and get my own college experience in a new place. As I began looking at schools, I made sure to keep good track of what I liked and did not like. Furman was not the first school I toured, but it was not the last either. I found that the things that I valued in a school were abundant at Furman, and I kept coming back to Furman and comparing other schools to Furman. As a result, I decided maybe I should give Furman another chance, so I scheduled an overnight visit on campus. The overnight completely changed my entire perspective. Seeing campus as if I was a student made all the difference. I went to class with this student I was visiting and got to see firsthand how what was said on tours truly came to life in the classroom.

Which professor has made the biggest impact on you while at Furman, and why? Dr. Ben and Jenna Storey from the Politics and International Affairs Department have had the biggest impact on my time at Furman. First semester, I had the opportunity to take my FYW, Politics and the Good Life, with Dr. Ben Storey. He led our class through some of the most thought-provoking discussions I have ever been a part of. His class made me think more deeply about what it means to live well, and he as a professor became one of the people I most look up to on campus. His wife, Dr. Jenna Storey, is my professor this semester in an introductory level political thought class. Even though my majors are Biology and Spanish, I love that I have the opportunity to study something that interests me outside my majors. Both of the Storey's encouraged me to continue on with political thought after the FYW. I had been able to get to know Dr. Jenna Storey through Political Thought Club where we had talked. In January, she invited me to take her place at a conference in St. Louis on Jurisprudence. I was honored that a professor would extend such an invitation, particularly a professor that I admired so much! The conference was sadly canceled because of the coronavirus. Yet, as classes continue online, Dr. Storey calls each student individually on a regular basis to check-in and chat about life and class. She is very supportive and a joy to talk to.

What is your favorite Furman memory? My favorite Furman memory occurred this past semester in my foundations of Biology class with Dr. Worthen. Though it may seem mundane, one of our labs was my favorite memory. My class showed up to lab one day ready to mix chemicals, look through a microscope, and run statistical tests only to discover we were actually going to be going outside into the field for lab. It was a beautiful day and the class was abuzz with chatter and laughter. Dr. Worthen took us down to the ecology lab and we suited up in waders (rather like waterproof footie pajamas with clunky rain boots attached at the end) and grabbed nets and then, the laughter having increased at the sight of each other in waders, we headed down to the stream behind the chapel. Everyone could tell that Dr. Worthen was in his element, which was exciting to see! His normal enthusiasm was increased more than usual, and he could answer just about any question asked of him. One of the reasons I chose Furman was for the great community of students and professors, and the strong relationships students build with professors. I definitely saw that professor-student relationship on full display for that lab, as I have on many other occasions. It was fun to feel like a child again, splashing around in the stream and looking at the ecosystem through what we collected in our nets. Because of that experience, our class really came together and bonded through nature.

What is your favorite thing spot/activity to do in Greenville? My favorite place is Table Rock State Park because I love to hike with friends or family in the beautiful mountains around Greenville!

In my spare time I like to... I love to read (fiction a lot of times), run, and play sports for fun. In general, time outside it my favorite. Nowadays I have been working a lot on my garden and starting new things like letter writing or origami.

Organizations:
Shucker Leadership Institute
Furman Conservative Society
Mere Christianity Forum
Furman Club Running Team
Reformed University Fellowship
Political Thought Club
Alpha Epsilon Delta (Pre-Health Honors Society)
Tri-Beta (Biological Honors Society)

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