Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences is highlighting some of its graduates from the hundreds who will walk away with their bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees for spring 2026.
Nursing
Sara Scott, a student in the John V. Roach Honors College, is graduating with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and came to TCU as a Chancellor’s Scholar from the small island of Kodiak, Alaska.
What made you decide to major in Nursing?
I always wanted to work with kids in some way. I always had a little stethoscope and a baby doll, and I just wanted to help people. And my mom told me that I had magic hands. For a long time, I wanted to do pediatric physical therapy, and then when I was 16, I got really sick, and I got flown, medically evacuated to the mainland in Alaska and then sent through four other hospitals around the U.S.
I had this amazing nurse who came into my room after I got a really scary diagnosis and sat at the edge of my bed and said, “Hey, we’re going to figure this out.” She made something that felt so complex and scary into something that was manageable and tangible and something that I could understand and gave me hope. I called her my angel, so when I applied to TCU, I wrote my nursing application on “my angel” and really wanted to become a nurse like her.
Are you part of any clubs or organizations?
I did A Moment of Magic for a couple of years, and that was where we got to dress up as Disney characters and go to hospitals, and that was really fun. I worked as the Magic Coordinator, so I helped coordinate visits. I also worked as a secretary for a little bit with them.
I’ve done TCU Student Nurses Association off and on for the past four years. I’m in Sigma Theta Tau honors society, and I’ve also been a student ambassador with the Harris College.
Faith is a big part of my life, so I’m really connected to Christ Chapel College. I’ve done a lot of leadership there as a hospitality coordinator and got to work with a lot of younger girls.
I’ve also been a teaching assistant for microbiology, so in that, I got to lead a lot of younger girls, meet with them, talk with them and tutor them.
What moment sticks out to you the most from your time at TCU?
My first night at TCU. We had this big rainstorm in 2022, and when I first started college I was in Milton Daniel. We all ran outside, without shoes, wearing big T-shirts and we literally played tag in the Commons. It was just dumping rain, and we’re laughing and running and I think that was a moment where I thought, “OK this is going to be a really great four years.”
I think throughout the past four years, there’s been a lot of really beautiful moments, a lot of celebrations and excitement. I love our Christmas concerts, and I love the way that we invite the community to be part of our university. I see all over Fort Worth how much people love their Horned Frogs.
I was also a freshman when we went to the National Championship for our football team and that was so much fun. Getting to be a part of the excitement and buzz and everyone being on the same page. I think it really showed what kind of family we are at TCU.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to incoming students?
Your experience can be unique and it can be different, but it can be really good. Take advantage of every opportunity; I think as freshman, you feel like you can be stuck in something for four years. But you can try a slice of everything freshman year and get involved in as much as you can, and, as you go out, figure out what you’re passionate about and get invested in that. Your experience doesn’t need to look like the person’s next to you. Get involved, find a good community that can keep you grounded, and try everything that you can, but know that it will be different for everyone.
What’s next for you?
I’m going to stay for a couple of weeks and take my NCLEX (National Council of State Boards of Nursing) exam. I want to get that studying out of the way, and that’s what they recommend here at TCU: you try and study as much as you can, and then you take your NCLEX as soon as you can.
Kinesiology
Haylei Scoggins, M.S. is earning her doctorate in Health Sciences with an emphasis in support and exercise psychology. Her research focused on adult video game players and how to get that group more active.
What brought you to TCU for your doctorate?
What really piqued my interest was that, throughout my schooling, I did some type of teaching. I was a high school teacher and a seventh-grade science teacher. In between those, I found that I really loved teaching. The TCU program at the time was advertising that not only do we get to conduct research, but we also get more experience in teaching post-secondary education.
What made you decide to get your doctorate in this program?
When I was a child, I remember my first career day, I thought, “I want to grow up and be a scientist.” So, I’ve always had this inquisitive nature. I really love science, all kinds. When I found the Health Sciences program, I learned that they really let you have autonomy over your own research and the program really emphasizes that you need to be an independent researcher. I love that because I got to control what I wanted to research and how I wanted to research it.
Another really cool thing is that it’s a three-year program and, traditionally, doctoral programs go from like four to seven years. So, I thought that was a testament that they accept people who they think can handle the pressures of getting all the publications you need, the research that has to be done and the teaching skills. So, I thought I’d fit quite well.
Are you part of any clubs or organizations?
Not specifically, but I was involved in TCU Esports. I’d go and talk to them, make some friends, cheer them on. I was also part of the Association for Applied Sports Psychology, a special interest group that focused on Esports. I managed all the social events that we did, I attended all the meetings and took notes.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to incoming students?
One piece of advice I always give people is to follow their passions. It seems really silly and just like common sense, but a lot of people will kind of prioritize what others want for them to do or what makes the most money. When I first decided I wanted to be an educator, and then I did my master’s program, I really loved research. I realized that I didn’t have to separate physical activity and kinesiology from video games. I could join the two together and do whatever I wanted to do in two different fields that I love.
I always tell my students and any student that’s going to come in, don’t listen to other people dictate what you want to do and just follow your dreams. If you think there are two outlandish ideas that don’t fit together, you can try to make them fit together and then it will work. And as long as you’re happy and you’re having fun, then that’s going to turn into something really great for you.
What’s next for you?
I’ve been an active faculty member for a couple of semesters now, so right now my plan is to keep doing that. Like I said, I really love teaching. I’m also thinking about starting up my own independent research company in a way that focuses on video game players and Esport athletes. So, my big dream is that we have this little institution where all my Esports friends that I’ve made along the way, researchers, can come together. We would use my software that I developed to get data on video gameplay across different demographics, and then hopefully we can start our own Esports group that could eventually be part of USAE Sports, which is a new organization that has emerged recently.
Health Science & Public Health
Savannah Biehunko is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Allied Health, with a minor in political science.
What made you decide to major in Allied Health?
I came in freshman year gung-ho, really wanting to be a doctor. So, I started in biology and quickly realized that was not for me. But I knew I wanted to work in healthcare, and that was something that was important to me. With this major being pretty new, especially when I was a freshman, it was a good way for me to stay in healthcare but open up to a lot of different avenues that aren’t specifically like patient-physician or patient-nurse. I thought I might do health policy or something in the insurance field, so I chose to also be a political science minor and be some sort of health lawyer.
Are you part of any clubs or organizations?
I’m in Pi Beta Phi, I was also on their philanthropy committee. I love to do service and outreach in the community; that’s something really important to me. I was also on their recruitment team.
I also started a club this past year. I started a club called Frogs Serving Fort Worth, which is a club that serves the homeless community in and around Fort Worth. So, we hold things like clothing drives and assemble care packages. We’ll have four or five of those packages and keep them in our car so when we see a homeless individual, we can give them out.
I was also on the Dean’s Board of Students my junior year and that was really fun. Because we were such a new major, it was really exciting to get to really talk to someone who has an influence over what we’re taking and what the courses are.
What moment sticks out to you the most from your time at TCU?
I was just going through my senior photos and started getting emotional. I think moving into our house during junior year. We had friends freshman year that you sort of weed out and find your real friends, and I remember when we all were in Grand Marc with this whole group of girls, and we were all kind of like, “Hey, are we going to live together?”, kind of tip-toeing around it. We all perked up and agreed and they’re still my best friends.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to incoming students?
It’s OK to look elsewhere than your initial major, and I think that was a really hard point for me is that I wasn’t smart enough to do this or wasn’t good enough to be a doctor. Then once I found Allied Health, it was equally, in many aspects, even more important. So, I would say, just go with what you feel and hear, not what anyone else is telling you to do.
What’s next for you?
I actually just signed my job offer with a company in Irving, and we basically deal with travel physicians and client sales, talking to Baylor Scott & White and Texas Health Medical to fill position needs.
* Answers have been condensed and edited for clarity