By the time Mackenzie Meier crosses the graduation stage later this month, she will have logged more than 5,000 hours at work, earned the highest academic honors, and finished college early — all while carrying a full course load. For the University of the Ozarks senior from Knoxville, Ark., ambition has never been something you talk about; it’s something you do.
Meier will graduate on Dec. 20 with a major in biology (wildlife) and minors in art and environmental studies — and with Summa Cum Laude honors (3.85 and higher cumulative grade point average).
A graduate of Lamar High School, Meier started Ozarks in the fall of 2022 with a semester of credits already secured, helping her to graduate in three and a half years. Her first day at Ozarks was also her first day starting her new job at Walmart. Since then, she has worked between 26-32 hours a week while juggling the everyday rigors of college — finals, research projects, scholarly papers, homework and study sessions.
“I brought to college with me the dedication and work ethic that I cultivated while in high school,” said Meier. “I’ve always held myself to a high standard and I think that’s where most of my motivation comes from. I’m not looking for gratification or a pat on the head from anyone else but myself. I started at Walmart the same day I started college, so I’ve not gone a day in higher education without other obligations. Overall, I’ve worked close to 5,000 hours while in school. It’s meant I’ve had to prioritize my time and be responsible with how I spend it. It’s not always an easy thing to do because it means choosing schoolwork over time with friends sometimes — but not every time.”
Working through college has allowed Meier to graduate debt-free.
“That is such a blessing and it allows me to focus on my future with a lot less stress,” she said.
Meier said that from a young age she knew she wanted to pursue a profession connected to wildlife welfare and conservation.
“It’s something I’ve always felt strongly about,” she said. “One night in 2022, I saw a mother mountain lion and her cub cross my driveway while I was looking out the window brushing my teeth and that’s when I knew for certain that I wanted to pursue a career in wildlife welfare. Our everyday lives intersect with animals more often than we could ever imagine. And since they can’t speak up for themselves, that responsibility falls on us as society.”
Classes and research projects with U of O biology professors such as Dr. Christie Sampson and Dr. Frank Knight have only intensified her desire to pursue that career path.
“Ozarks has fueled this interest by providing access to brilliant professors like Dr. Sampson and Dr. Knight,” Meier said. “They each bring a lot to the table when it comes to experience and knowledge. Every semester they continue to stoke the fire as their passion for biology — and all it encompasses — is contagious.”
While wildlife biology and art may seem like an odd academic couple, it was a natural pairing for Meier.
“I’ve always enjoyed being outdoors and in nature, so studying wildlife biology just seemed like the natural thing to do,” she said. “I chose art for a minor because it’s something I’ve enjoyed for years now as well. I love the process of planning something out and creating in front of me what I see in my mind. It balances well with biology because they each use different sides of the brain.”
Fittingly, she was able to connect her science and art interests in a senior art practicum earlier this semester.
“I’m using the sun to expose photographs that I took on a photo trip to California onto leaves,” she said. “It’s a really cool process that combines the powers of photosynthesis with photography.”
She said one of her favorite classes at Ozarks was a ceramics course, which inadvertently helped teach her a valuable life lesson.
“I’ve loved so many classes at Ozarks but one that I would take again if I had the opportunity would be ceramics,” she said. “I loved getting my hands dirty, both metaphorically and physically, in the medium. It’s a process that takes time to develop and I loved how clay acts like it has a mind of its own. I would have an idea of what I wanted to create, but sometimes the clay had a different idea. It taught me how to be flexible and open to new things, which is exactly how the science world works. The class may have been an art class, but it paralleled beautifully with biology by illustrating how ever-changing the natural world is, even if confined to a clay-form inside a studio.”
While Meier isn’t exactly sure where her professional future is headed, she knows it will most likely include animals, nature and art.
“I plan on shadowing my uncle in taxidermy and, if I end up liking it, I may pursue that and specialize in small animals-birds-fish,” she said. “If it turns out to be something I don’t fall in love with, I’d like to end up working with big cats, either at a refuge or some other form of conservation application. I like the idea of taxidermy: how it combines art and biology and how it can be used for education. However, I’m not sure how I feel about working with carcasses over live animals. Either way, I’m remaining open to any opportunity that comes my way. I’m just eager to get out there and start getting my hands dirty.”
Meier called her time at Ozarks “a whirlwind.”
“It’s gone by so fast and I’ve learned so much,” she said. “Because of work, I haven’t gotten super involved on campus. I was an Ozarks Experience Mentor (OEM) my sophomore semester and I really enjoyed that, which surprised me given my introverted nature. I’ve gone on a couple trips with the photography professor, Margo Duvall, and those have been some of my favorite memories. Last spring we went to California to photograph the redwoods and Yosemite after studying the f/64 group of photographers in class and it was such a surreal experience. It was definitely something I could have only gotten to be a part of because of Ozarks. “
Topics: Biology