Claire McNally ’22 received a fellowship from Phi Kappa Phi that is only awarded to 54 students entering graduate school each year. 

Through the fellowship, McNally received a $8,500 scholarship to fund her graduate education at Cornell University, where she is studying genetics, genomics, and development.

McNally graduated from Hillsdale in May 2022 with a 3.92 GPA. She was a biochemistry major and a member of the women’s cross country team and the Honor Society Phi Kappa Phi, a college level academic honor society with members across the United States. Through the biology department, McNally studied Jack-in-the-pulpit flowers, presented on polyploid plants, and surveyed spatial population genetics. 

 At Cornell, McNally will partake in an eight-week course rotation before picking the lab she will spend the next five to six years researching in to earn her Ph.D. She said her end goal is to give back to the educational community that inspired her to become a professor. 

While McNally initially looked into attending a large college or university with extensive research programs for her undergraduate degree, McNally said Hillsdale was an opportunity she “couldn’t turn down.”

McNally said she would love to be a professor and even return to Hillsdale. The professors at Hillsdale are unique because they mentor their students and set a standard for them academically and personally, McNally said.  

“Something really special about the professors at Hillsdale is their work and life balance,” McNally said.

Hillsdale made McNally well-rounded, she said. 

“I learned so much from my humanities and core classes too,” she said. “And I really enjoyed my philosophy of education class with Dr. Diener.” 

McNally said Christopher Heckel, associate professor of biology, influenced her Hillsdale experience. Heckel first met McNally when she worked in the conservation genetics lab at Hillsdale. They worked together on a summer research project and an independent study on polyploid plants. 

“Claire has so many great qualities and is an excellent thinker, but I think what impressed me the most was her positive attitude,” Heckel said. “In her work, she faced plenty of obstacles, but she never got down and solved problems with enthusiasm.” 

Courtney Meyet, associate professor of chemistry, said she got to know McNally while serving as her research advisor and organic chemistry teacher. Meyet advised McNally for internships, graduate school applications, and her senior thesis. 

“I am beyond proud. Claire has truly earned this honor,” Meyet said. “She has dedicated the time, but she also has the desire and passion for her field.”    

McNally said her Hillsdale education prepared her for her journey at Cornell.

“I’m so grateful for my time at Hillsdale and how it’s prepared me, and I will definitely come back to visit,” McNally said.