Central Michigan University

This is Central

Ryan Lambert

Graduate student

Sport administration major

Hometown: Montgomery, Ill.

Global impact: During his junior year Lambert and his classmates took their homework project and transformed it into the on-campus foundation, Chip Away Malaria. The foundation has raised $30,000 and sent more than 3,000 anti-malarial nets to Africa.

His passion: "Volunteering is contagious. Professors are passionate about what they do and when students see that, they want to experience it through opportunities the school provides."

More than 70 percent of all students volunteer or do community service during their time at CMU. Find your cause.

Mariah Hanson

Senior

Biomedical sciences major

Chemistry minor

Hometown: Freeland, Mich.

How Mariah gets experience: Mariah started researching as a freshman in CMU's biology labs. To date, she has completed two major research projects and presented her findings on infertility in Lansing and Washington, DC.

Her passion: "I love research...I find that I get to apply what I have learned in my classes to what I am doing in the lab. Research allows me to grow as a scientist, as well as learn the importance of collaborating and meeting with fellow lab members - these relationships are important in any lab."

Why CMU: "My professors inspire me. In their job, they juggle teaching, research and meetings, and make the time to mentor students. Having great faculty allows students to have a much smoother college career."

Click here to learn more about Mariah's research.

Josh Black and the Campus Grow interns

Who they are: Josh Black, Jessica Gibbons, Zach Robinson and Chris Venegas; all four are environmental studies majors and founders of the Campus Grow project.

Their project: Organic gardening in three spots on campus to grow vegetables, sell them in the local community, and educate children, students and community members on the viability of local, chemical-free food production.

The bounty: Broccoli, tomatoes, squash, corn, carrots, radishes, cauliflower, beans, etc.

The dream: To supply vegetables to CMU Campus Dining for use in the residential restaurants.

Says Venegas: "Nothing feels as good as eating something you grew. We're taking it from seed to plate."

Learn more about the environmental studies program at CMU.