Student speaker Meg Hayes looks back on her UW-Whitewater education with gratitude

May 01, 2025

Meg Hayes is in a reflective state as she ponders closing an important chapter of her life story. As she does so, she is overcome with gratitude as she takes stock of her experiences at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

“The professors here genuinely want to see you improve; they will challenge you to succeed,” Hayes said. “The friends that you make here are one-of-a-kind.”

“These are, by far, four of the best years of my life,” said Hayes, who is earning a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in theatre. “I think of this as my second home.”

She will share her inspiring story as commencement speaker for UW-Whitewater’s spring 2025 commencement ceremony at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 17.

Hayes, a graduate of Northland Pines High School in Eagle River, said she came to UW-Whitewater with a shy streak, but will be closing out her undergraduate experience as a bolder woman — and she credits innumerable people she has encountered on campus with helping her become the best version of herself. Along the way, she was named to the Dean’s List nine times.

On campus, the stage has been one of the most important platforms Hayes has used to grow as a person, both as a performer and behind the scenes. She has been a part of such disparate productions as “Much Ado About Nothing,” where she played the character of Conrade, and “A Place with the Pigs,” where she was a part of the scenery run crew. Hayes also participated in “Outrunnable,” a four-part miniseries that touches on the difficulties of grief and addiction and has been broadcast on UWW-TV.

 

 

Hayes says former lecturer Sara J. Griffin, a 2007 alumna, consistently encouraged her to stretch her acting muscles.

“She has helped me grow so much as an actor,” Hayes said of Griffin. “She encouraged me to step up and speak, in front of a classroom when I used to be shy. She always would give me good advice.”

Hayes said Griffin especially homed in on some of her weaknesses, including a propensity to be her own worst critic.

“I’m always that type of person who wants to improve and tends to be a little more critically judgmental of herself,” Hayes said. “She has a uniqueness, as a professor. She knows my weakness in acting, and she knows how I can become better. I felt very challenged in her classes because I know that she wants me to improve and sees potential in me.”

Hayes took part in a number of activities and organizations while on campus, including one where she was able to explore her Christian faith on a deeper level through the campus chapter of the student organization Cru.

From the get-go, Hayes said Cru had a positive impact on her life as a UW-Whitewater student.

“If I hadn’t gotten involved in Cru, there’s a chance I would have switched to just online classes,” she said. “When I think of the friends and the connections I’ve made, it’s been incredible.”

As is the case with the theater, Hayes said Cru was an opportunity to grow as a person while overcoming her shyness and cultivating a deeper sense of community that helped make UW-Whitewater her second home.

“There’s a sense of belonging at Cru,” Hayes said. “There were multiple times last year where I thought to myself, as I was looking around, ‘This is the club that I want to be a part of.’ I go every Tuesday night, and it brings me joy.”

Through the trials and triumphs of life and the inevitable challenges that occur as a college student, Hayes said Cru helped give her a firm foundation.

“I think my faith has changed by seeing how the world works, and seeing how much the people in this group love and care about others,” she said. “Some of the friends in the club have been with me through the hardest moments that I’ve had on campus.”

Hayes, who describes UW-Whitewater “as a place with vibrant energy,” said she has expansive ambitions for the future. She said she is interested in furthering her acting, with a desire to continue performing in the theater. She also is interested in becoming an author of children’s books.