When most college students imagine completing their degree, they envision immediately donning a cap and gown with spring fading into the summer alongside their adulthood. This is not the case for every student.
Morgan Eddy successfully finished all of the requirements she needed for her finance and economics degrees in fall 2023, a semester ahead of most University of Mississippi seniors.
“I always knew that I wanted to graduate a semester early,” Eddy said. “In high school, I did take a lot of AP classes and I took some college credit classes over the summer. I knew automatically that I would have at least a full semester full of classes done already.”
Despite her early graduation, Eddy still plans to wear a cap and gown for university graduation ceremonies in May. This will be her first in-person graduation, as COVID-19 altered her high school’s ceremony.
“It’s a little heartfelt. Since I was a 2020 (high school) graduate, I didn’t really have a graduation— we did a drive-thru one,” Eddy said.
For some students, not being able to walk across the stage at their high school graduation would be disappointing, but Eddy favored the drive-thru graduation.
“Honestly, I’m not gonna lie, I did prefer it,” Eddy said. “I had about 600 kids in my graduating class, so I don’t think I could sit that long. For college, I feel like it’s different because it’s a bigger achievement than high school in my opinion.”
Eddy hoped that graduating a semester early would provide a head start on her career. Although she plans to march across the graduation state in May, her specific path forward is still a bit uncertain.
“I have been applying to plenty of businesses in corporate finance jobs. I have one offer already in Jacksonville, Fla.,” Eddy said.
The fall graduate said she is considering staying with her parents back in Powell, Ohio, and encouraged recent graduates to take that path unless they receive an outstanding opportunity that allows them to provide for themselves.
For now, Eddy is staying in Oxford over the spring semester until her lease is up, working as a universal bank teller at The Citizens Bank and a campus manager at South By Sea.
When Eddy was enrolled at UM, she was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi. She cited her big-little reveal at the sorority as one of the memories that will shine the brightest years after her departure from the university. Eddy shared that she is very close to her little, junior civil engineering major Jackie La Riva, and imagines that relationship will carry on for years to come.
“Big-little is such a big thing in sororities, and I know that I’m gonna carry the big-little bond with her forever,” Eddy said. “I know she will be at my wedding. I’ll probably visit her as many times as I need to.”
When asked whether she would recommend completing university degree coursework a semester early, Eddy said the decision depends on the student’s circumstances.
“I think it depends on their goals and what they want,” Eddy said. “It really just depends on their speed and how you want your college experience to be. For me, it’s only (one) semester (I’m) missing. But you could still stay in Oxford if you want to wait for graduation.”
She cited the fear of missing out as a big con, but shared that getting ahead on her professional career is the large pro to fall graduation.
Eddy then offered a piece of advice for all students still enrolled in school.
“I would say really enjoy your college experience. It goes by so much faster than you think, so much faster than high school,” Eddy said. “Take everything you learned with a grain of salt and just make friends, make memories and have fun experiences. Just don’t do anything illegal.”
