By CAPRI GAHR, Student Reporter
A day in the life of the first person to minor in physics in thirty years at NWOSU.
With the help of DR. Jennifer Sattler, Willow Gahr has been able to complete a physics minor at Northwestern. As the first student to attempt this in thirty years, Sattler and Gahr went about instituting the program for future students.
Gahr keeps physics on her mind constantly. As a NWOSU women’s cross country runner, she passes the time while running by contemplating physics problems in her head. Running isn’t just a sport to her, it is relaxing and counts for most of the free time she can find.
Her other free time is devoted to raising money to help sea turtles. Gahr visited Costa Rico last summer to help scientists try to conserve sea turtle nests and protect the baby turtles until safely in the ocean. They monitored tutles, protected nests from poachers, and kept track of the local population. She planned to return and volunteer again this summer but is unable to make the trip. Instead, she will continue raising money for the scientists while balancing school and work.
Gahr is a full time student and employee, working sixty-five hours a week between tutoring at the Academic Success Center, and managing at the local Sonic. She keeps busy but has still managed to maintain a 3.9 GPA. Gahr has, so far, accumulated one-hundred and twenty hours at Northwestern. “I was so scared to do bad that I devoted every ounce of free time to studying,” Gahr said.
Gahr graduated in 2013 from Aline-Cleo high school. As a high school student, she was very active in the school and community. She played sports and was even an FFA chapter officer. “I really didn’t prepare for college,” She said. “I stayed extremely busy in high school which helped me learn time management for college.”
She plans to graduate next spring and then hopes to be accepted into OU’s medical physics program.