Others traveled further than Laykeia Thurmond to enroll at the University of Alaska Southeast for spring semester, but probably no one else spent more time on a bus to reach campus.

Thurmond, 18 years old and from Greenville, North Carolina, spent four-and-a-half days traveling by bus to Seattle, to save money, and then flying to Juneau to enroll in the UAS marine biology program.

"I wanted to study marine biology up here," Thurmond said. She has been considering UAS for over a year. "It seem you all have a nice marine biology program." After graduation from UAS she plans to continue at a veterinarian school.

In addition to her long bus ride, Thurmond was an unusual student even before arriving on campus. "We talked to her father Darrell a dozen times, at least," according to Tish Griffin who is UAS director of Auxiliary Services. "He was one of the most actively involved fathers. He did all the things you'd like a parent to do."

Although not knowing any other students before arriving at UAS, Thurmond said, "I'm not having trouble meeting people." She lives in the campus' Banfield Hall. "Everyone went out of their way to make me welcome here."

Thurmond graduated from high school at 16 by taking the GED so she could enter college earlier. She spent one year at a community college taking basic required classes before enrolling at UAS.