Devin Martin began his journey at Wichita State after transferring from Highland Community College in Kansas City. He says his struggles have only built character.

Devin is one of more than 2,400 students eligible for spring 2019 graduation. Learn more about Devin's time at Wichita State and what's next for the senior.

What is your degree in? Bachelor of Arts in General Studies with an emphasis in mathematics.

What led you to Wichita State to begin with? I’m a transfer student, and my advisor told me about WSU and the programs that we offer. She scheduled me a campus visit and from there I began my journey, first as an industrial engineering student, then switched to education.

How do you feel leading up to graduation? I’m feeling excited, optimistic and little nervous leading up to graduation. I’m excited for the opportunities that I will encounter and very optimistic about life in general and my life, because I know it’s bright. I’m naturally nervous because life is about to get real and things will change, because I’m so used to being in school 98% of my life.

What has been your most impactful learning experience while a student at WSU -- either in class or at an internship? I think the most helpful learning experience has been a combination of the two. But I would say a lot of my most meaningful experiences have been outside of the classroom. I feel like life application and being in the real world gave me a different perspective on things and allowed me to learn in a more intensive way, but I also gained information in the classroom that gave me the technical skills that I needed.

What has been your biggest challenge as a student, and how did you overcome it? Initially I would say time management was my biggest challenge, having to juggle between work, school and relationships. I overcame it by realizing what was more important and eliminated things that I thought that were important and made necessary adjustments.

What are your career plans? I hope to obtain a teaching position here in the Wichita or the surrounding districts.

What advice would you give other WSU students? Advice I would give is, "Nothing lasts forever, not even the struggle." College is a full of obstacles and each one is building character within you, so don’t give up when they come. Persevere, because it’s worth it.