Opportunity is the first thing that Alexis Hehman thinks about when she reflects on her time at Northern Kentucky University.

“It really is like one door opened the other for me, and it has to do with the professional staff here,” she says. “Without them, I would not be here at all. My boss, Emmy, has opened doors for me that I thought were going to be shut forever. She's advocated for me in so many ways to be in the role I'm in, and she's put so much faith in me. I have so much freedom and opportunity to be a leader.”

Hehman, a master’s student in the Master of Business Leader and Innovation program at NKU, is a graduate assistant in the university’s Campus Recreation Center. She received her undergraduate degree in human resource management with a minor in Spanish from NKU in fall 2024.

NKU was always a possibility for the Erlanger, Kentucky, native. It allowed her to stay close to her family, who she is close to and grateful for.

“My parents sacrificed so much for me because I went to private school,” she says. “Without them, it would not be possible for me to have attended college. They have sacrificed so much to get me such a good education to start with, then to finish my undergraduate degree and now that I’m in grad school. They have paved ways for me that I would not have had otherwise.”

Hehman was excited to start at NKU as an undergraduate student, but she had trouble finding her place and putting herself out there. A friend recommended that she start working out at the Campus Recreation Center… and that’s where it all fell into place.

Hehman started working out more and meeting new friends. After taking a semester off to join the Disney College Program in Orlando, Florida, she needed a job and applied for a role in CRC’s Membership Services department.

She worked at the front desk during the rest of her undergraduate career and eventually landed an internship role while she balanced her coursework.

Life as a college student can be tough, but Hehman encourages students to keep moving and celebrate the small moments.

“Branch out. If there's something you're interested in, seek it out. Be vulnerable and put yourself in uncomfortable situations. That’s the only way you’re going to get somewhere,” she says. “But also recognizing your own accomplishments is really important—even if they’re small. Even just showing up to class. It's not manageable for everybody to get a pat on the head or be shouted out, but you should really take the time for yourself. Just because you're not receiving something or being recognized doesn't mean that you're not doing something that's awesome. Be proud of yourself, because there are people who don’t have the opportunity to go to college at all.”