Living with honors
Kaytlynn Michelle Marceaux came into the world with a bang on July 4, 1989. She’s had a fire fueled with tenacity under her ever since. During high school she managed to get top-notch grades while she survived two natural disasters, lived in five different states, attended four different schools and coped with her parents’ divorce. She graduated from Willow Canyon High School (Surprise, Ariz.) in the top 10 percent of 800 students.
When Marceaux was in the ninth grade, her parents decided to move to Lake Charles, La. Just a few months later, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, and a short time after that major disruption, Hurricane Rita rained more devastation on the area. Marceau was now going to school in Texas, and her parents had decided to divorce.
“I was already in a lot of shock because I was not used to evacuation processes in the south,” she said. “My parents decided it was best for us to live with my dad in California.”
So for three months she attended Glendora High school until her mother could get the family settled in Arizona, where ironically she lived directly across the street from the Kansas City Royals spring training camp.
After graduation, Marceaux was drawn back to Kansas because she’d always planned to attend the University of Kansas.
“I had my car and some things … not much, and when I got back I stayed in hotel rooms, and sometimes friends’ houses,” she said.
She attended the orientation at KU and decided she was not ready for a big campus.
“I knew about JCCC and so I went to check it out. It has everything a first-year college student is looking for – GUIDANCE,” she said.
Her first stop was the student information desk, where they pointed her to the honors and financial aid offices. She learned about Phi Theta Kappa, the honors program and how to graduate with honors. She is one semester from earning a liberal arts associate’s degree with honors. In fall 2011, she plans to attend KU and live on campus.
During her time at JCCC, Marceaux helped create a new club on campus called the Honors Student Association. The mission of the HSA is to provide ways for honors program students to be socially and academically involved on and off campus.
She was also very involved with Psi Beta, a psychology club, holding offices and organizing activities, fundraisers and conferences. Next year’s HSA conference will be in Arizona.
“When I visit JCCC in years to come, I hope to see that the Honors Student Association has grown,” she said. “I want the conference to become an annual event for JCCC students.”
Being somewhat of a nomad during high school gave Marceaux the drive to study in other parts of the world. She’s preparing for three weeks of intense Spanish instruction in Argentina this winter as part of JCCC’s study abroad opportunities. JCCC wishes her buen viaje (safe travel)!
When Marceaux was in the ninth grade, her parents decided to move to Lake Charles, La. Just a few months later, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, and a short time after that major disruption, Hurricane Rita rained more devastation on the area. Marceau was now going to school in Texas, and her parents had decided to divorce.
“I was already in a lot of shock because I was not used to evacuation processes in the south,” she said. “My parents decided it was best for us to live with my dad in California.”
So for three months she attended Glendora High school until her mother could get the family settled in Arizona, where ironically she lived directly across the street from the Kansas City Royals spring training camp.
After graduation, Marceaux was drawn back to Kansas because she’d always planned to attend the University of Kansas.
“I had my car and some things … not much, and when I got back I stayed in hotel rooms, and sometimes friends’ houses,” she said.
She attended the orientation at KU and decided she was not ready for a big campus.
“I knew about JCCC and so I went to check it out. It has everything a first-year college student is looking for – GUIDANCE,” she said.
Her first stop was the student information desk, where they pointed her to the honors and financial aid offices. She learned about Phi Theta Kappa, the honors program and how to graduate with honors. She is one semester from earning a liberal arts associate’s degree with honors. In fall 2011, she plans to attend KU and live on campus.
During her time at JCCC, Marceaux helped create a new club on campus called the Honors Student Association. The mission of the HSA is to provide ways for honors program students to be socially and academically involved on and off campus.
She was also very involved with Psi Beta, a psychology club, holding offices and organizing activities, fundraisers and conferences. Next year’s HSA conference will be in Arizona.
“When I visit JCCC in years to come, I hope to see that the Honors Student Association has grown,” she said. “I want the conference to become an annual event for JCCC students.”
Being somewhat of a nomad during high school gave Marceaux the drive to study in other parts of the world. She’s preparing for three weeks of intense Spanish instruction in Argentina this winter as part of JCCC’s study abroad opportunities. JCCC wishes her buen viaje (safe travel)!