For the Miami Valley Today

TROY — In a few months, Morgan Kaiser plans to go off to college and eventually change the world.

Before she leaves Troy High School, however, the senior continues to add to her lengthy list of accomplishments.

Thursday morning, Kaiser found out she had officially been named a National Merit Finalist. Last fall, Kaiser found out she was a National Merit Semifinalist after posting one of the top 16,0000 scores in the country on the PSAT test. Approximately 1.6 million students took the test as juniors in 2021.

By being named a finalist, Kaiser now will have an opportunity to compete for one of approximately 7,600 National Merit Scholarship Program scholarships.

“I was extremely excited to find out that I was a finalist!” Kaiser said. “I was not expecting to learn of this honor this morning, and it was a super fun surprise. It is a great honor, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunities this honor presents!”

Kaiser said she hasn’t yet decided on the college she’ll attend in the fall, although the Ohio State University and the University of Notre Dame are the two leaders. She plans to major in neuroscience and minor in English while on a pre-med track. From there, she plans to attend medical school.

“In the future, I plan to attend medical school and participate in research at the university I attend, especially in fields related to genetics, immunology, and neuroscience,” Kaiser said. “I also intend on becoming involved in community service in my collegiate community. After finishing medical school and my residencies, I hope to enter the medical field in my desired specialty.”

While school is important to Kaiser, so too are the many extracurricular and volunteer activities in which she participates. Her list of accomplishments outside of the classroom is every bit as impressive as her list inside of it.

She has played volleyball and basketball all four years, earning scholar-athlete, All-Miami Valley League, team MVP and team captain awards. She’s also been involved in student council, Senior Cabinet, Junior Cabinet, ASTRA, Key Club, and Latin Club, holding leadership positions in all of those organizations.

Kaiser said it’s been an amazing four years at Troy High School and it’s hard for her to believe her high school journey is nearing its final destination.

“I simply cannot believe that my senior year is almost over!” she said. “As much as I am eagerly awaiting graduation, I will definitely miss the people and memories here at Troy High School. Multiple teachers and coaches, throughout all of Troy City Schools, have impacted me in profound ways, and I am very grateful to have made some incredible friends through classes, teams, and clubs. It is very bittersweet to know that I will be leaving these great people in a few short months. I know Troy High School will always have a piece of my heart!”