Lauren Benson ’27 is a biology major, member of the Cardinal women’s volleyball team and first-generation college student who has found her home at North Central. She credits athletics for teaching her time management, teamwork and perseverance — and she channels those skills into student leadership roles and campus-wide service work.

From early team bonding to connecting with faculty, Lauren reflects on personal growth and preparing for the future, including applying for grad school to become an occupational therapist. Her advice to new students: “Do what you’re passionate about — what you get out of college is what you put into it.”