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Morgan Newkirk started playing lacrosse in the fourth grade. By the time she was a senior at El Cajon’s Granite Hills High School, Morgan was excelling as both a club and high school player, earning numerous academic and athletic accolades and being named her school’s athlete of the year.

When ����ֱ�� lacrosse coach Joseph Manna reached out to Morgan as a potential recruit, she was intrigued to hear about the small Northern California school offering a mix of competitive lacrosse and rigorous academics. It was an exciting time to join ����ֱ��’s team, which was moving from the club level to becoming California’s first NCAA Division II women’s lacrosse program.

After a campus tour, the high school honors student also realized ����ֱ�� was an exciting place to develop her interest in finance and accounting. ����ֱ��, Morgan recognized, would help her reach her goal of a career in corporate finance.

“After visiting ����ֱ��, I was so impressed by its smaller size, the supportive environment, and the surrounding areas,” she recalls. “I was also interested in studying business, and ����ֱ��’s strong business program was a major draw, so I committed fairly quickly after my campus visit.”

The decision to attend ����ֱ�� was, she recalls, “the best one I have made.”

A first-generation college student, Morgan is studying business and specializing in finance with minors in global innovation and entrepreneurship, along with creative writing. This spring she was awarded a prestigious scholarship by the Financial Women of San Francisco (FWSF) in recognition of her academic accomplishments.

“����ֱ�� has opened numerous doors for me, both academically and personally. The support from the university, including flexible financial aid and understanding professors, has been instrumental in my success.”

On the field Morgan is a key contributor to the women’s team. Last season she led the team with 40 goals and was second in points with 57. She holds the ����ֱ�� single-game record for goals and the single-game record for draw controls, with 10 in the first game of her collegiate career against the University of California Santa Barbara.

While playing college sports is a major commitment, Morgan was determined to embrace the full college experience. She became co-president of ����ֱ��’s Rotaract Club and served as a student ambassador for the Institute for Leadership Studies (ILS). She is also a consultant for the Peace Corps.

“These roles help me develop leadership skills and make lasting connections.”

Morgan’s sophomore year, she became a teaching assistant for Dr. Denise Lucy, professor of business in the Barowsky School of Business and ILS executive director. Dr. Lucy, Morgan says, has been both a mentor and friend, providing invaluable support and encouragement. Another mentor, Aslihan Korkmaz, an associate professor of finance in the Barowsky School of Business, encouraged Morgan to apply for the FWSF scholarship.

When Morgan arrived for her scholarship interview in San Francisco’s Financial District, she was delighted to learn one of the panelists was ����ֱ�� alumna Ami Arroyo '16.

“I was nervous, but the interview went well. The panelists were super kind, and I was really impressed that one of the panelists had attended ����ֱ��.”

During the interview Morgan talked about her passion for lacrosse and how she still works as a coach with her former youth team whenever she is at home. “I told them that coaching the younger kids was super important to me, and they seemed really interested in hearing about the sense of community I had with this work.” 

Morgan was shopping when she got the call saying she was awarded a scholarship. 

“I just burst into tears in the dressing room at Nordstrom Rack,” she says. “I could not believe it.”

The caller was the ����ֱ�� alumna from the interview panel.

“It was the most genuine – the nicest - call I had ever received, and it was special because it was from someone who went to my school. I immediately called my mom, and she was just as shocked and as happy as I was.”

Morgan is excited about the opportunities ahead of her as she begins her junior year. ����ֱ�� has become Morgan’s home away from home, and she has found it fulfilling to be a part of the increasing popularity of lacrosse on campus. Support from her professors has made this possible.

“As a student-athlete, time management is your friend, and I am so lucky that my professors have been so friendly and flexible with my schedule,” Morgan says. “����ֱ�� has opened so many doors for me, especially career wise. I am at a great spot in my life, and I feel so privileged by the many opportunities this school has made possible.”