After three years at Newman University, Natalie Meyer ’25 is heading to graduate school with one goal in mind: to give back.
The biology major and volleyball student-athlete has her sights set on becoming a community college professor in biology or microbiology, inspired by her belief in accessible education.
“From a young age, I always loved science,” Meyer said. “I loved doing experiments, catching bugs and looking at plants in the backyard. And I always knew I wanted to do something that let me give back.”
For Meyer, community colleges represent an important but often underestimated part of higher education.
“Community colleges are significantly more affordable than four-year universities, and I think they give access to higher education to a wider demographic,” she said. “I want to help break the stigma that, especially in the STEM fields, community colleges don’t prepare students well for university. I want to show that they absolutely can.”
Thanks to her Newman professors, Meyer feels well prepared to begin her master’s program in biology at Arizona State University this fall.
She conducted undergraduate research alongside former associate professor of biology Michael Bradley, including a breast cancer cell culture project that she presented during Newman’s annual Scholars Day.
“Dr. Bradley was amazing,” she said. “He’s all about hands-on learning. He would say, ‘I don’t want you taking notes. You’re going to remember this because you’re actually doing it.’ He even wrote a letter of recommendation for my master’s program.”
Finding a second home at Newman
As a volleyball student-athlete, Meyer competed in the challenging Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) conference, which pushed her in ways she didn’t expect.
“Every game was a battle, and that taught me so much about resilience,” Meyer said. “Without that experience, I don’t think I would have grown and matured in the ways I have. It taught me to be responsible, to lead and to keep going through adversity.”
Her efforts paid off. Meyer was named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll in both her sophomore and junior years, made the Dean’s List every year and earned a spot on the College Sports Communicators Academic Volleyball All-District team.
But the accomplishments that mean the most to her, she said, are the relationships and community she built at Newman — something that didn’t come easily at first.
“I came here from Arizona, and I didn’t know anyone,” she said. “My first semester was really hard. I was a student-athlete in a challenging major, in a new city, a thousand miles from home. But I put myself out there, and I found a second home here.”
Through her role as a writing tutor, Meyer also poured time into helping other students succeed.
“I felt like it was my duty to give back, to support my peers academically and to show up for them at athletic and student life events,” she said. “I wanted to help make the Newman community better.”
That sense of belonging and shared purpose made Newman feel special, Meyer said.
“Newman may not have the amenities of a big public university,” Meyer said, “but we make up for it with passion and community. Because of the small size, my academic experience was so unique compared to a larger university because I developed stronger relationships with my professors, which in turn made me more passionate and engaged in the work I was doing.”
Ready to soar into her future
Meyer said graduation brought a bittersweet mix of emotions.
“It feels like the end of a very important chapter, but also the start of another exciting one,” Meyer said. “Compared to high school, I’ve grown so much as a person here. I’m leaving more mature, independent and better person.”
As she prepares for the next phase of her journey, Meyer hopes to take what she’s learned at Newman and transform lives, especially for students who may not think higher education is within their reach.
“I’ve learned countless knowledge in all aspects of life here,” she said. “And because of those challenges and the success I’ve found, I feel like I’m ready to help a future generation of STEM students pursue their passions, no matter their background.”
Earn a biology degree
At Newman, you’ll gain the fundamentals and be prepared for acceptance to medical school and other health-related professional programs.
