Meet Point Flagship Scholar Morgan Beaven

Why did you choose your major or program? 

After deciding that I wanted to devote my life to helping others, I chose to major in Public Service and Public Policy to learn about the most effective ways to serve my community and enact meaningful change in the world.

What is a fun fact about you that few people know?

I am a die-hard Cher fan!

What is your favorite song and why?

Different Kind of Love Song by Cher, particularly because it centers in the lyrics on the concept of loving everyone instead of being just another love song about a straight, cisgender couple. As the lyrics read, this song is "a different kind of love song dedicated to everyone." After the year we've had as a result of COVID-19, isn't that what our world needs right now?

What is your current favorite streaming binge and why?

Grace and Frankie! I discovered this show during quarantine and have since rewatched it twice. This is one of the few shows I've watched that legitimately made me laugh out loud thanks to Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin's eclectic characters in the show. My new favorite introductory question is to ask "are you more of a Grace or a Frankie?"

What is your favorite hobby or activity you like to do in your free time?

For as long as I can remember, I've always enjoyed reading in my free time. For me, it helps to give me insight and perspective into the lives and struggles of people with various identities.

How have your identities (race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender) affected your college experience?

Growing up in Kentucky, I never truly felt embraced or accepted. Financially, it would have been easier to remain in-state for college. However, I felt as though I would never be truly happy with my decision if I chose to take the easy way out. This led to my decision to attend a school 1,400 miles from home in a region of the country that I'd never even visited. Arizona State University has one of the largest and most diverse student populations in the nation and I found that ASU has some of the most welcoming and progressive programs and policies in place for students like me.

How do you practice self-care?

As aforementioned, I enjoy reading to take my mind off of the present. Additionally, I also enjoy venturing out into nature to go hiking or even to go on a run.

How are you adjusting to the "new normal" as we're emerging from this pandemic? Do you have any tips for other students who are going back to college this semester?

My friends know me as the planner of our friend group. I always have to have a plan for what we're doing, when we're doing it, and where we're doing it. I like to have a plan for everything I do. The pandemic, however, has obviously interrupted many of those plans that I hold so dearly onto. If there's one thing this pandemic has taught me, it's to be more adaptive to changing environments. I have become much more resilient and open to change and invite other students to do the same. As we begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel, rest assured that everything will work out in the end.

This post’s responses were submitted by Point Flagship Scholar Morgan Beaven (He/Him).

Morgan is currently studying public service and public policy at Arizona State University. Read more about the Point Flagship Scholarship for LGBTQ students program here.