Howdy! My name is Maci Mahan, and I am the loudest, proudest member of the Fighting Texas Aggie Class of 2028! I have worked very hard throughout my academic career, graduating in the top 8% of my high school class and earning a 3.8 GPA in my first semester of college. My passion is serving others, and I am blessed to have participated in mission trips to Africa, Hungary and Ecuador to spread the message of God’s love. In high school I was a member of the National Honor Society, serving as treasurer as a junior and secretary as a senior, Zonta Club, serving as service committee coordinator, and varsity volleyball team, earning all-district academic and player honors as a junior. At A&M I am involved in Freshman Leaders in Christ, Christian Business Leaders and Impact. In March I served on a mission trip to Peru and will return to Africa in July of 2025. Mission trips are an incredibly important part of who I am. I have known for a long time that traveling to underdeveloped countries and providing support to the people there was something I wanted to experience, and I am forever changed by my time in Kenya, Africa, and the sheer love and joy of the people there. I fell in love with the children and adults alike and am counting the days until I return this summer to continue this work. While happy and grateful for all they have, the unethical conditions faced by these citizens are almost unbearable. The extreme poverty was mind-blowing. The huts they call home are often nothing more than two pieces of wood or metal propped together, providing little to no protection from the elements. They sleep on the ground. Young children run around without clothing, or at the very least without diapers or underwear. Holes dug in the ground serve as the restroom for older children and adults. Food is very scarce, sickness and diseases are plentiful, education is nonexistent, and religion is not allowed. Yet the people of Kenya remain happy, upbeat, and grateful. While at Texas A&M I plan to obtain a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in Business. I hope to attend seminary with the goal of becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor. It is my desire to work closely with teenagers; more specifically, teenagers with behavioral issues, PTSD, childhood trauma, problems within foster care, or who were victims of trafficking. I hope to give them a glimpse of Jesus, His love for them, and the hope that is found within the redeeming power of His name. I pray to use the gifts God has given me to reach the broken and help them to become the best version of themselves. I grew up in a Christian home and attended church weekly. I accepted Christ into my heart at the age of nine but experienced no true life-change due to a lack of understanding of what salvation truly meant. I spent my childhood consumed by anxiety and chained by fear. There were days when my anxiety was so overwhelming I struggled to get out of bed. It was only through my relationship with Jesus that I was able to come out on the other side of the fog I had been living under. I came to truly know the Lord when I was 13 and began walking faithfully after encountering His presence and rededicating my life to Him. While in high school, I realized I found no satisfaction or true fulfilment in the idea or pursuing an ordinary vocation. I no longer desired to be a dentist, or a teacher, or anything else I had dreamt of for most of my life. My youth pastor then told me about a conference for students who could possibly be called to ministry due to the passions he had seen me exhibit while serving on local mission trips or leading the students in our youth ministry. It was at that conference that I realized the Lord was calling me to serve Him and I began realizing the gifts He had given me- the ability to connect with, empathize, and share wisdom with others- followed by my love of conversation, service, and intentionality could be used in the form of counseling. I have seen God open doors and continue aligning the desires of my heart with the spiritual gifts I have been given to lead me to study psychology and eventually practice Christian counseling.

A Labor of Love My name is Maci Mahan, and I am a proud member of the Fighting Texas Aggie Class of 2028! I have worked very hard throughout my academic career and graduated in the top 8% of my high school class. My passion is serving others, and I have participated in mission trips to Africa, Hungary and Ecuador to spread the message of God’s love. In high school I was a member of the National Honor Society, serving as treasurer and secretary, service committee coordinator of the Zonta Club, and a member of the volleyball team, earning all-district academic and player honors. Some of my proudest achievements were scoring a 5 on the AP English exam and being chosen as a commencement speaker. At Texas A&M I am involved in Freshman Leaders in Christ, Christian Business Leaders and Impact. In March I will serve on a mission trip to Peru and will return to Africa in July of 2025. While in college I plan to obtain a bachelor’s degree in psychology and then attend seminary with the goal of becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor. I earned a 3.8 GPA in my first semester, and I recently applied to the Honors Psychology program. It is my goal to work closely with teenagers; more specifically, teenagers with behavioral issues, PTSD, childhood trauma, problems within foster care, or who were victims of trafficking. I hope to give them a glimpse of Jesus, His love for them, and the hope that is found within the redeeming power of His name. I pray to use the gifts God has given me to reach the broken and help them to become the best version of themselves. Mission trips are an incredibly important part of who I am. I have known for a long time that traveling to underdeveloped countries and providing support to the people there was something I wanted to experience, and I am forever changed by my time in Kenya, Africa where I was able to lead worship, dig wells, paint houses, and make lifelong connections. I fell in love with the children and adults alike and am counting the days until I return this summer to continue this work. While happy and grateful for all they have, the unethical conditions faced by these citizens are almost unbearable. The huts they call home are often nothing more than two pieces of wood or metal propped together, providing little to no protection from the elements. They sleep on the ground. Young children run around without clothing, or at the very least without diapers or underwear. Holes dug in the ground serve as the restroom for older children and adults. Food is very scarce, sickness and diseases are plentiful, education is nonexistent, and religion is not allowed. Yet the people of Kenya remain happy, upbeat, and grateful. Their outlook is truly inspiring. Addressing the unethical realities of those in Third World and developing countries is going to take more than the actions of a nineteen-year-old with a big heart and desire to do more. A problem of this magnitude requires a concerted effort from the masses and very deep pockets. It will be a huge undertaking, but with hard work and determination we have the chance to make a real difference. Having the good fortune of being born an American citizen is a reward I did nothing to deserve I feel a great responsibility to use the gifts I have been blessed with, including freedom of religion and speech, to advocate for improved conditions and resources for this population who have captured my heart.

Missions are an incredibly important part of who I am. I am forever changed by my time in Kenya, Africa, and the sheer love and joy of the people there. I fell in love with children and adults alike and am counting the days until I return this summer to continue this work. While happy and grateful for all they have, the unethical conditions faced by these citizens are almost unbearable and the extreme poverty and lack of healthcare, both physical and mental, is mind-blowing. The huts they call home are often nothing more than two pieces of wood or metal propped together, providing little to no protection from the elements. They sleep on the ground. Young children run around without clothing, or at the very least without diapers or underwear. Holes dug in the ground serve as the restroom for older children and adults. Food is very scarce, sickness and diseases are plentiful, education is nonexistent, and religion is not allowed. Yet the people of Kenya remain happy, upbeat, and grateful. While lack of food and running water is a life and death issue, there are other countries that also experience unethical treatment of another nature. On paper Hungary excels at protecting the rights of its citizens. There are laws prohibiting judicial misconduct, unequal treatment based on gender, and discrimination based on sexual orientation. While these are notable, Hungarians also face severe limitations in basic freedoms including freedom of speech and expression, censorship, the right to peaceful assembly, and separation of church and state. In order to control what is reported and sway public opinion, Hungary has made it increasing difficult for journalists and other members of the media to effectively report on the current conditions of the country. They are denied access to government officials, and some journalists have been subjected to severe intimidation and threats when attempting to report on humanitarian issues. As a result, the ability to truly understand the current conditions as well as determine the level of support needed is greatly reduced. Addressing the unethical realities of those in Third World and developing countries is going to take more than the actions of a nineteen-year-old with a big heart and desire to do more. A problem of this magnitude requires a concerted effort from the masses and very deep pockets. It will be a huge undertaking, but with hard work and determination we have the chance to make a real difference. Having the good fortune of being born an American citizen is a reward I did nothing to deserve. In the same vein, being born into such severe poverty and inhumane conditions is a punishment these people do not deserve. I feel a great responsibility to use the gifts I have been blessed with to advocate for improved conditions and resources for this population who have captured my heart. To accomplish this, I plan to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in Business. After graduating from Texas A&M I hope to attend seminary with the goal of becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor. It is my hope to lead efforts to provide support to citizens of these underserved areas, primarily those with behavioral issues, PTSD, childhood trauma, problems within foster care, or who were victims of trafficking. I hope to give them a glimpse of Jesus, His love for them, and the hope that is found within the redeeming power of His name. I pray to use the gifts God has given me to reach the broken and help them to become the best version of themselves.

Howdy! My name is Maci Mahan and I am a proud Fighting Texas Aggie! My education is my top priority. I have worked very hard throughout my academic career and graduated in the top 8% of my high school class and earned a 3.8 GPA in my first semester of college. My passion is serving others and I am blessed to have participated in mission trips to Africa, Hungary and Ecuador to spread the message of God’s love. At Texas A&M I am involved in Freshman Leaders in Christ, Christian Business Leaders and Impact. These organizations have allowed me to continue to serve my community by volunteering, providing outreach, and ministering to others. In March I will serve on a mission trip to Peru and will return to Africa on mission in July of 2025. I grew up in a Christian home and attended church weekly. I accepted Christ into my heart at the age of nine, but experienced no true life-change due to a lack of understanding of what salvation truly meant. I spent my childhood consumed by anxiety and chained by fear. I overanalyzed every move on the volleyball court and every answer on every test. I was so fearful of making a mistake there were days I struggled to get out of bed. The pressure I placed on myself due to my anxiety was crippling. It was only through the love of Jesus that I was able to get to the other side. I came to truly know the Lord when I was 13 and began walking faithfully after encountering His presence and rededicating my life to Him. While in high school, I realized I found no satisfaction or true fulfilment in the idea or pursuing an ordinary vocation. I no longer desired to be a dentist, or a teacher, or anything else I had dreamt of for most of my life. My youth pastor then told me about a conference for students who could possibly be called to ministry. It was at that conference that I realized the Lord was calling me to serve Him vocationally, and I then began realizing the gifts He had given me- the ability to connect with, empathize, and share wisdom with others- followed by my love of conversation, service, and intentionality could be used in the form of counseling. I have seen God open doors and continue aligning the desires of my heart with the spiritual gifts I have been given to lead me to study psychology and eventually practice Christian counseling. It is my goal to work closely with teenagers; more specifically, teenagers with behavioral issues, PTSD, anxiety, childhood trauma, problems within foster care, or who were victims of trafficking. I hope to give them a glimpse of Jesus, His love for them, and the hope that is found within the redeeming power of His name. I pray to use the gifts God has given me to reach the broken and help them to become the best version of themselves. I have known for a long time that traveling to underdeveloped countries and providing support to the people there was something I wanted to experience. I am forever changed by my time in Kenya, Africa, and the sheer love and joy of the people there and am counting the days until I return this summer. I feel a great responsibility to use the gifts I have been blessed with to advocate for improved conditions and resources for this population who have captured my heart. By serving others the anxiety that once crippled me no longer has the power.

Howdy! My name is Maci Mahan and I am a proud Fighting Texas Aggie! My education is my top priority. I have worked very hard throughout my academic career and graduated in the top 8% of my high school class. My passion is serving others and I am blessed to have participated in mission trips to Africa, Hungary and Ecuador to spread the message of God’s love. At Texas A&M I am involved in Freshman Leaders in Christ, Christian Business Leaders and Impact. These organizations have allowed me to continue to serve my community by volunteering, providing outreach, and ministering to others. In March I will serve on a mission trip to Peru and will return to Africa on mission in July of 2025. I grew up in a Christian home and attended church weekly. I accepted Christ into my heart at the age of nine, but experienced no true life-change due to a lack of understanding of what salvation truly meant. I spent my childhood consumed by anxiety and chained by fear. I overanalyzed every move on the volleyball court and every answer on every test. I was so fearful of making a mistake there were days I struggled to get out of bed. The pressure I placed on myself due to my anxiety was crippling. It was only through the love of Jesus that I was able to get to the other side. I came to truly know the Lord when I was 13 and began walking faithfully after encountering His presence and rededicating my life to Him. While in high school, I realized I found no satisfaction or true fulfilment in the idea or pursuing an ordinary vocation. I no longer desired to be a dentist, or a teacher, or anything else I had dreamt of for most of my life. My youth pastor then told me about a conference for students who could possibly be called to ministry. It was at that conference that I realized the Lord was calling me to serve Him vocationally, and I then began realizing the gifts He had given me- the ability to connect with, empathize, and share wisdom with others- followed by my love of conversation, service, and intentionality could be used in the form of counseling. I have seen God open doors and continue aligning the desires of my heart with the spiritual gifts I have been given to lead me to study psychology and eventually practice Christian counseling. It is my goal to work closely with teenagers; more specifically, teenagers with behavioral issues, PTSD, anxiety, childhood trauma, problems within foster care, or who were victims of trafficking. I hope to give them a glimpse of Jesus, His love for them, and the hope that is found within the redeeming power of His name. I pray to use the gifts God has given me to reach the broken and help them to become the best version of themselves. I have known for a long time that traveling to underdeveloped countries and providing support to the people there was something I wanted to experience. I am forever changed by my time in Kenya, Africa, and the sheer love and joy of the people there. I fell in love with the children and adults alike and am counting the days until I return this summer to continue this work. While happy and grateful for all they have, the unethical conditions faced by these citizens is almost unbearable. The huts they call home are often nothing more than two pieces of wood or metal propped together, providing little to no protection from the elements. They sleep on the ground. Young children run around without clothing, or at the very least without diapers or underwear. Holes dug in the ground serve as the restroom for older children and adults. Food is very scarce, sickness and diseases are plentiful, education is nonexistent, and religion is not allowed. Yet the people of Kenya remain happy, upbeat, and grateful. Addressing the unethical realities of those in third world and developing countries is going to take more than the actions of a nineteen-year-old with a big heart and desire to do more. A problem of this magnitude requires a concerted effort from the masses and very deep pockets. It will be a huge undertaking, but with hard work and determination we have the chance to make a real difference. Having the good fortune of being born an American citizen is a reward I did nothing to deserve. I feel a great responsibility to use the gifts I have been blessed with to advocate for improved conditions and resources for this population who have captured my heart. By serving others the anxiety that once crippled me no longer has the power.

Howdy! My name is Maci Mahan and I am the loudest, proudest member of the Fighting Texas Aggie Class of 2028! My education is my top priority. I have worked very hard throughout my academic career and graduated in the top 8% of my high school class. My passion is serving others and I am blessed to have participated in mission trips to Africa, Hungary and Ecuador to spread the message of God’s love. In high school I was a member of the National Honor Society, serving as treasurer as a junior and secretary as a senior, Zonta Club, serving as service committee coordinator, and varsity volleyball team, earning all-district academic and player honors as a junior. Some of my proudest achievements were scoring a 5 on the AP English exam and being chosen to give the hat toss speech and lead the alma mater at graduation. At A&M I am involved in Freshman Leaders in Christ, Christian Business Leaders and Impact, organizations which allow me to continue serving others while at school. I plan to earn a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Business. I earned a 3.8 GPA my first semester and I recently applied to the Honors Psychology program to get a higher-level education within the courses provided. After graduating from A&M I hope to attend seminary to become a Licensed Professional Counselor. It is my goal to open my own practice and work closely with teenagers; more specifically, teenagers with behavioral issues, PTSD, childhood trauma, problems within foster care, or who were victims of trafficking. I hope to give them a glimpse of Jesus, His love for them, and the hope that is found within the redeeming power of His name. I pray to use the gifts God has given me to reach the broken and help them to become the best version of themselves. Missions are an incredibly important part of who I am. I have known for a long time that traveling to underdeveloped countries and providing support to the people there was something I wanted to experience. I am forever changed by my time in Kenya, Africa, and the sheer love and joy of the people there. I fell in love with the children and adults alike, and am counting the days until I return this summer to While I have organized fundraisers including designing and selling t-shirts and donating profits to African charities and collecting shoes to be given to microentrepreneurs to sell to support their families, these actions do not make a dent in the real problem. As a child of divorce with eight siblings- two biological and six stepsiblings, the task of paying for my education falls to me. I currently have three siblings in college as well as three in high school who all require financial assistance from my parents. While they can put food on the table, depending on my parents to pay for my undergraduate and postgraduate education is unrealistic. Having financial assistance would make an incredible difference and release a portion of this burden that is already weighing on me. Having financial assistance while at A&M would make the transition into the workforce much easier and smoother and allow me to fully dedicate my time to my clients- with less financial weight tying me down. My goal is to provide services and support to those in Third World and developing countries. The less debt I must take on as a student will allow me to provide more financial support as a part of this mission.

Howdy! My name is Maci Mahan and I am the loudest, proudest member of the Fighting Texas Aggie Class of 2028! My education is my top priority. I have worked very hard throughout my academic career and graduated in the top 8% of my high school class. My passion is serving others and I am blessed to have participated in mission trips to Africa, Hungary and Ecuador to spread the message of God’s love. In high school I was a member of the National Honor Society, serving as treasurer as a junior and secretary as a senior, Zonta Club, serving as service committee coordinator, and varsity volleyball team, earning all-district academic and player honors as a junior. Some of my proudest achievements were scoring a 5 on the AP English exam and being chosen to give the hat toss speech and lead the alma mater at graduation. At A&M I am involved in Freshman Leaders in Christ, Christian Business Leaders and Impact, organizations which allow me to continue serving others while at school. I plan to earn a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Business. I earned a 3.8 GPA and a spot on the Dean’s List my first semester and I recently applied to the Honors Psychology program to get a higher-level education within the courses provided. After graduating from A&M I hope to attend seminary with the end goal of becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor. It is my goal to work closely with teenagers; more specifically, teenagers with behavioral issues, PTSD, childhood trauma, problems within foster care, or who were victims of trafficking. I hope to give them a glimpse of Jesus, His love for them, and the hope that is found within the redeeming power of His name. I pray to use the gifts God has given me to reach the broken and help them to become the best version of themselves. Missions are an incredibly important part of who I am. I have known for a long time that traveling to underdeveloped countries and providing support to the people there was something I wanted to experience. I am forever changed by my time in Kenya, Africa, and the sheer love and joy of the people there. I fell in love with the children and adults alike, and am counting the days until I return this summer to While I have organized fundraisers including designing and selling t-shirts and donating profits to African charities and collecting shoes to be given to microentrepreneurs to sell to support their families, these actions do not make a dent in the real problem. As a child of divorce with eight siblings- two biological and six stepsiblings, the task of paying for my education falls to me. I currently have three siblings in college as well as three in high school who all require financial assistance from my parents. While they can put food on the table, depending on my parents to pay for my undergraduate and postgraduate education is unrealistic. Having financial assistance would make an incredible difference and release a portion of this burden that is already weighing on me. Having financial assistance while at A&M would make the transition into the workforce much easier and smoother and allow me to fully dedicate my time to my clients- with less financial weight tying me down. My goal is to provide services and support to those in Third World and developing countries. The less debt I must take on as a student will allow me to provide more financial support as a part of this mission.

Howdy! My name is Maci Mahan and I am proud Fighting Texas Aggie! My education is my top priority. I have worked very hard throughout my academic career and graduated in the top 8% of my high school class. My passion is serving others and I am blessed to have participated in mission trips to Africa, Hungary and Ecuador to spread the message of God’s love. At Texas A&M I am involved in Freshman Leaders in Christ, Christian Business Leaders and Impact. These organizations have allowed me to continue to serve my community by volunteering, providing outreach, and ministering to others. In March I will serve on a mission trip to Peru and will return to Africa on mission in July of 2025. After graduating from A&M I hope to attend seminary with the end goal of becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor. It is my goal to work closely with teenagers; more specifically, teenagers with behavioral issues, PTSD, childhood trauma, problems within foster care, or who were victims of trafficking. I hope to give them a glimpse of Jesus, His love for them, and the hope that is found within the redeeming power of His name. I pray to use the gifts God has given me to reach the broken and help them to become the best version of themselves. I have known for a long time that traveling to underdeveloped countries and providing support to the people there was something I wanted to experience. I am forever changed by my time in Kenya, Africa, and the sheer love and joy of the people there. While happy and grateful for all they have, the unethical conditions faced by these citizens is almost unbearable. The huts they call home are often nothing more than two pieces of wood or metal propped together, providing little to no protection from the elements. Young children run around without clothing, or at the very least without diapers or underwear. Holes dug in the ground serve as the restroom for older children and adults. Food is very scarce, sickness and diseases are plentiful, education is nonexistent, and religion is not allowed. Yet the people of Kenya remain happy, upbeat, and grateful. I have experienced many sleepless nights worrying about these innocent children and families and brainstorming ways I can help them. While I have organized fundraisers, including selling original t-shirts to benefit African charities and collecting shoes for microentrepreneurs in developing countries to sell to support their families, these actions do not make a dent in the real problem. Having the good fortune of being born an American citizen is a reward I did nothing to deserve. In the same vein, being born into such severe poverty and inhumane conditions is a punishment these people do not deserve. I feel a great responsibility to use the gifts I have been blessed with, including freedom of religion and speech, to advocate for improved conditions and resources for this population who have captured my heart.

I grew up in a Christian home and attended church weekly. I accepted Christ into my heart at the age of nine but experienced no true life-change due to a lack of understanding of what salvation truly meant. I spent my childhood consumed by anxiety and chained by fear. I came to truly know the Lord when I was 13 and began walking faithfully after encountering His presence and rededicating my life to Him. While in high school, I realized I found no satisfaction or true fulfilment in the idea or pursuing an ordinary vocation. I no longer desired to be a dentist, or a teacher, or anything else I had dreamt of for most of my life. My youth pastor then told me about a conference for students who could possibly be called to ministry due to the passions he had seen me exhibit while serving on local mission trips or leading the students in our youth ministry. It was at that conference that I realized the Lord was calling me to serve Him vocationally. I then began realizing the gifts He had given me- the ability to connect with, empathize, and share wisdom with others- followed by my love of conversation, service, and intentionality could be used in the form of counseling. I have seen God open doors and continue aligning the desires of my heart with the spiritual gifts I have been given to lead me to study psychology and eventually practice Christian counseling. Mission trips are an incredibly important part of who I am. I have known for a long time that traveling to underdeveloped countries and providing support to the people there was something I wanted to experience, and I am forever changed by my time in Kenya, Africa, and the sheer love and joy of the people there. I fell in love with the children and adults alike and am counting the days until I return this summer to continue this work. While happy and grateful for all they have, the unethical conditions faced by these citizens are almost unbearable. The extreme poverty was mind-blowing. The huts they call home are often nothing more than two pieces of wood or metal propped together, providing little to no protection from the elements. They sleep on the ground. Young children run around without clothing, or at the very least without diapers or underwear. Therefore, the ground and living areas are full of excrement. Holes dug in the ground serve as the restroom for older children and adults. Food is very scarce, sickness and diseases are plentiful, education is nonexistent, and religion is not allowed. Yet the people of Kenya remain happy, upbeat, and grateful. While at Texas A&M I plan to obtain a bachelor’s degree in psychology. I earned a 3.8 GPA and a spot on the Dean’s List my first semester, and I recently applied to the Honors Psychology program to get a higher-level education within the courses provided. After graduating I hope to attend seminary with the goal of becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor. It is my goal to work closely with teenagers; more specifically, teenagers with behavioral issues, PTSD, childhood trauma, problems within foster care, or who were victims of trafficking. I hope to give them a glimpse of Jesus, His love for them, and the hope that is found within the redeeming power of His name. I pray to use the gifts God has given me to reach the broken and help them to become the best version of themselves.

Howdy! My name is Maci Mahan and I am the loudest, proudest member of the Fighting Texas Aggie Class of 2028! My passion is serving others and I am blessed to have participated in mission trips to Africa, Hungary and Ecuador to spread the message of God’s love. At A&M I am involved in Freshman Leaders in Christ, Christian Business Leaders and Impact. Following interview processes I was selected to be a camp counselor at both Impact and Pine Cove camps for summer of 2025. In March I will serve on a mission trip to Peru and will return to Africa in July of 2025. I grew up in a Christian home and attended church weekly. I accepted Christ into my heart at the age of nine, but experienced no true life-change due to a lack of understanding of what salvation truly meant. I spent my childhood consumed by anxiety and chained by fear. I came to truly know the Lord when I was 13 and began walking faithfully after encountering His presence and rededicating my life to Him. While in high school, I realized I found no satisfaction or true fulfilment in the idea or pursuing an ordinary vocation. I no longer desired to be a dentist, or a teacher, or anything else I had dreamt of for most of my life. My youth pastor then told me about a conference for students who could possibly be called to ministry due to the passions he had seen me exhibit while serving on local mission trips or leading the students in our youth ministry. It was at that conference that I realized the Lord was calling me to serve Him vocationally and seek out the areas of ministry He could possibly be opening doors to. I then began realizing the gifts He had given me- the ability to connect with, empathize, and share wisdom with others- followed by my love of conversation, service, and intentionality could be used in the form of counseling. I have seen God open doors and continue aligning the desires of my heart with the spiritual gifts I have been given to lead me to study psychology and eventually practice Christian counseling. While at Texas A&M I plan to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. I earned a 3.8 GPA and a spot on the Dean’s List my first semester and I recently applied to the Honors Psychology program to get a higher-level education within the courses provided. After graduating from Texas A&M I hope to attend seminary with the end goal of becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor. It is my goal to work closely with teenagers; more specifically, teenagers with behavioral issues, PTSD, childhood trauma, problems within foster care, or who were victims of trafficking. I hope to give them a glimpse of Jesus, His love for them, and the hope that is found within the redeeming power of His name. I pray to use the gifts God has given me to reach the broken and help them to become the best version of themselves. As a high school senior I received $3000 in scholarships, none of which are renewable. My student loan debt is at $26,000 after the first year. With 8 siblings, 4 of whom will be in college in the fall, all of my educational expenses fall to me. I hope to obtain some additional scholarships for the upcoming school year to decrease the amount of loans I have to take out. The less debt I graduate with, the more I will be able to put into my future mission work.

Howdy! My name is Maci Mahan and I am the loudest, proudest member of the Fighting Texas Aggie Class of 2028! My passion is serving others and I am blessed to have participated in mission trips to Africa, Hungary and Ecuador to spread the message of God’s love. In high school I was a member of the National Honor Society, serving as treasurer as a junior and secretary as a senior, Zonta Club, serving as service committee coordinator, and varsity volleyball team, earning all-district academic and player honors as a junior. Some of my proudest achievements were scoring a 5 on the AP English exam and being chosen to give the hat toss speech and lead the alma mater at graduation. At A&M I am involved in Freshman Leaders in Christ, Christian Business Leaders and Impact. Following interview processes I was selected to be a camp counselor at both Impact and Pine Cove camps for summer of 2025. In March I will serve on a mission trip to Peru and will return to Africa in July of 2025. I grew up in a Christian home and attended church weekly. I accepted Christ into my heart at the age of nine, but experienced no true life-change due to a lack of understanding of what salvation truly meant. I spent my childhood consumed by anxiety and chained by fear. I came to truly know the Lord when I was 13 and began walking faithfully after encountering His presence and rededicating my life to Him. While in high school, I realized I found no satisfaction or true fulfilment in the idea or pursuing an ordinary vocation. I no longer desired to be a dentist, or a teacher, or anything else I had dreamt of for most of my life. My youth pastor then told me about a conference for students who could possibly be called to ministry due to the passions he had seen me exhibit while serving on local mission trips or leading the students in our youth ministry. It was at that conference that I realized the Lord was calling me to serve Him vocationally and seek out the areas of ministry He could possibly be opening doors to. I then began realizing the gifts He had given me- the ability to connect with, empathize, and share wisdom with others- followed by my love of conversation, service, and intentionality could be used in the form of counseling. I have seen God open doors and continue aligning the desires of my heart with the spiritual gifts I have been given to lead me to study psychology and eventually practice Christian counseling. While at Texas A&M I plan to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Business. I earned a 3.8 GPA and a spot on the Dean’s List my first semester and I recently applied to the Honors Psychology program to get a higher-level education within the courses provided. After graduating from Texas A&M I hope to attend seminary with the end goal of becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor. It is my goal to work closely with teenagers; more specifically, teenagers with behavioral issues, PTSD, childhood trauma, problems within foster care, or who were victims of trafficking. I hope to give them a glimpse of Jesus, His love for them, and the hope that is found within the redeeming power of His name. I pray to use the gifts God has given me to reach the broken and help them to become the best version of themselves.

Howdy! My name is Maci Mahan and I am the loudest, proudest member of the Fighting Texas Aggie Class of 2028! My passion is serving others and I am blessed to have participated in mission trips to Africa, Hungary and Ecuador to spread the message of God’s love. In high school I was a member of the National Honor Society, serving as treasurer as a junior and secretary as a senior, Zonta Club, serving as service committee coordinator, and varsity volleyball team, earning all-district academic and player honors as a junior. Some of my proudest achievements were scoring a 5 on the AP English exam and being chosen to give the hat toss speech and lead the alma mater at graduation. At A&M I am involved in Freshman Leaders in Christ, Christian Business Leaders and Impact. Following interview processes I was selected to be a camp counselor at both Impact and Pine Cove camps for summer of 2025. In March I will serve on a mission trip to Peru and will return to Africa in July of 2025. I grew up in a Christian home and attended church weekly. I accepted Christ into my heart at the age of nine, but experienced no true life-change due to a lack of understanding of what salvation truly meant. I spent my childhood consumed by anxiety and chained by fear. I came to truly know the Lord when I was 13 and began walking faithfully after encountering His presence and rededicating my life to Him. While in high school, I realized I found no satisfaction or true fulfilment in the idea or pursuing an ordinary vocation. I no longer desired to be a dentist, or a teacher, or anything else I had dreamt of for most of my life. My youth pastor then told me about a conference for students who could possibly be called to ministry due to the passions he had seen me exhibit while serving on local mission trips or leading the students in our youth ministry. It was at that conference that I realized the Lord was calling me to serve Him vocationally and seek out the areas of ministry He could possibly be opening doors to. I then began realizing the gifts He had given me- the ability to connect with, empathize, and share wisdom with others- followed by my love of conversation, service, and intentionality could be used in the form of counseling. I have seen God open doors and continue aligning the desires of my heart with the spiritual gifts I have been given to lead me to study psychology and eventually practice Christian counseling. While at Texas A&M I plan to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Business. I earned a 3.8 GPA and a spot on the Dean’s List my first semester and I recently applied to the Honors Psychology program to get a higher-level education within the courses provided. After graduating from Texas A&M I hope to attend seminary with the end goal of becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor. It is my goal to work closely with teenagers; more specifically, teenagers with behavioral issues, PTSD, childhood trauma, problems within foster care, or who were victims of trafficking. I hope to give them a glimpse of Jesus, His love for them, and the hope that is found within the redeeming power of His name. I pray to use the gifts God has given me to reach the broken and help them to become the best version of themselves.

Howdy! My name is Maci Mahan and I am the loudest, proudest member of the Fighting Texas Aggie Class of 2028! My passion is serving others and I am blessed to have participated in mission trips to Africa, Hungary and Ecuador to spread the message of God’s love. In high school I was a member of the National Honor Society, serving as treasurer as a junior and secretary as a senior, Zonta Club, serving as service committee coordinator, and varsity volleyball team, earning all-district academic and player honors as a junior. Some of my proudest achievements were scoring a 5 on the AP English exam and being chosen to give the hat toss speech and lead the alma mater at graduation. At A&M I am involved in Freshman Leaders in Christ, Christian Business Leaders and Impact. Following interview processes I was selected to be a camp counselor at both Impact and Pine Cove camps for summer of 2025. In March I will serve on a mission trip to Peru and will return to Africa in July of 2025. I grew up in a Christian home and attended church weekly. I accepted Christ into my heart at the age of nine, but experienced no true life-change due to a lack of understanding of what salvation truly meant. I spent my childhood consumed by anxiety and chained by fear. I came to truly know the Lord when I was 13 and began walking faithfully after encountering His presence and rededicating my life to Him. While in high school, I realized I found no satisfaction or true fulfilment in the idea or pursuing an ordinary vocation. I no longer desired to be a dentist, or a teacher, or anything else I had dreamt of for most of my life. My youth pastor then told me about a conference for students who could possibly be called to ministry due to the passions he had seen me exhibit while serving on local mission trips or leading the students in our youth ministry. It was at that conference that I realized the Lord was calling me to serve Him vocationally and seek out the areas of ministry He could possibly be opening doors to. I then began realizing the gifts He had given me- the ability to connect with, empathize, and share wisdom with others- followed by my love of conversation, service, and intentionality could be used in the form of counseling. I have seen God open doors and continue aligning the desires of my heart with the spiritual gifts I have been given to lead me to study psychology and eventually practice Christian counseling. While at Texas A&M I plan to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Business. I earned a 3.8 GPA and a spot on the Dean’s List my first semester and I recently applied to the Honors Psychology program to get a higher-level education within the courses provided. After graduating from Texas A&M I hope to attend seminary with the end goal of becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor. It is my goal to work closely with teenagers; more specifically, teenagers with behavioral issues, PTSD, childhood trauma, problems within foster care, or who were victims of trafficking. I hope to give them a glimpse of Jesus, His love for them, and the hope that is found within the redeeming power of His name. I pray to use the gifts God has given me to reach the broken and help them to become the best version of themselves.

Whenever Richard Cory went down town, We people on the pavement looked at him: He was a gentleman from sole to crown, Clean favored, and imperially slim. And he was always quietly arrayed, And he was always human when he talked; But still he fluttered pulses when he said, “Good-morning,” and he glittered when he walked. And he was rich — yes, richer than a king — And admirably schooled in every grace: In fine, we thought that he was everything To make us wish that we were in his place. So on we worked, and waited for the light, And went without the meat, and cursed the bread; And Richard Cory, one calm summer night, Went home and put a bullet through his head. How often have we been envious of what someone else has? Of their clothing, home, marriage, family? How many times have we wished we could trade places with someone else? When I first read Edwin Arlington Robinson's poem, “Richard Cory,” I was blown away. No pun intended. Here was a person who on the surface had everything-except the will to live. This poem is a perfect illustration of the fragility and illusion of life, especially in the age of social media. It is very easy to control the narrative when posting on social media. Pictures can be edited, perceptions can be skewed. And any life or situation can be made to appear much different than reality. Has there ever been a better example of “money can’t buy happiness” than this poem? “…he was rich, yes, richer than a king.” Yet, wealth did not do for Richard Cory what many imagine it will do for them. We live in an age of debt-credit card debt, personal loan debt, student loan debt. At only nineteen years old and in my second semester of college my student loan debt is already astonishingly high. Just last week my mom encouraged me not to panic or get overwhelmed. The thought of multiplying this amount by the next three years, and then adding the cost of seminary is almost too much to bear. And while I know I have been called to ministry, and I know He will provide, it is also easy to see why money, or the lack thereof, figures so predominately in a person’s psyche, perceived status, and self-worth. In his portrayal of Richard Cory, Robinson was ahead of his time. It is as though he knew that one day we would live in a world where people would routinely create false personas and narratives, and that others would compare themselves to these fallacies. Written in an age of gilded riches, long skirts, tall hats, and an air of sophistication, Richard Cory seems like the pillar of society. The other townspeople, while enamored of him, also found him down-to-earth, friendly, and likeable. Everyone wanted to be like him, to know him, to be him. Yet behind that façade was a troubled and tortured soul who must have felt there was no other way. It is hard to imagine what led to this. Was he depressed? Did he have a secret someone figured out? Did he commit a crime he was afraid would be discovered? Or was he simply just tired of pretending? Analysis of this poem reveals many literary elements that Robinson used to convey his message. These include the name “Richard” meaning rich, placing the townspeople “downtown” and “on the pavement” to symbolize them putting Cory up on a pedestal, and the irony of someone so rich and well liked killing themselves. But the first several times I read it, that was not what stood out to me. To me it was the repeated use of the word “And.” “And he was always quietly arrayed…And…human when he talked…And he was rich….And admirably schooled…” It was as though by listing all of these qualities he built him up so much that the ending was that much more shocking. But then the tone shits, and the “ands” are more ominous. “And [we] went without the meat, and cursed the bread; And Richard Cory, one calm summer night, Went home and put a bullet through his head.” Despite all of the “Ands” Richard Cory was not a person to be envied. If we take nothing else from this poem, I hope we all remember this. Life is fleeting. Many riches turn out to be just a mirage. A smile can hide a lot of pain. And at the end of the day, it is not the "Ands" that matter.

I grew up in a Christian home and attended church weekly. I accepted Christ into my heart at the age of nine, but experienced no true life-change due to a lack of understanding of what salvation truly meant. I spent my childhood consumed by anxiety and chained by fear. I came to truly know the Lord when I was 13 and began walking faithfully after encountering His presence and rededicating my life to Him. While in high school, I realized I found no satisfaction or true fulfilment in the idea or pursuing an ordinary vocation. I no longer desired to be a dentist, or a teacher, or anything else I had dreamt of for most of my life. My youth pastor then told me about a conference for students who could possibly be called to ministry due to the passions he had seen me exhibit while serving on local mission trips or leading the students in our youth ministry. It was at that conference that I realized the Lord was calling me to serve Him vocationally and seek out the areas of ministry He could possibly be opening doors to. I then began realizing the gifts He had given me- the ability to connect with, empathize, and share wisdom with others- followed by my love of conversation, service, and intentionality could be used in the form of counseling. I have seen God open doors and continue aligning the desires of my heart with the spiritual gifts I have been given to lead me to study psychology and eventually practice Christian counseling. While at Texas A&M I plan to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Business. I earned a 3.8 GPA and a spot on the Dean’s List my first semester and I recently applied to the Honors Psychology program to get a higher-level education within the courses provided. After graduating from Texas A&M I hope to attend seminary with the end goal of becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor. It is my goal to work closely with teenagers; more specifically, teenagers with behavioral issues, PTSD, childhood trauma, problems within foster care, or who were victims of trafficking. I hope to give them a glimpse of Jesus, His love for them, and the hope that is found within the redeeming power of His name. I pray to use the gifts God has given me to reach the broken and help them to become the best version of themselves.

At 5’11 I have towered over my mom since middle school. But do not let her stature fool you. She packs a lot of punch in a small package. My mom is many things-she’s loud, she’s funny. She is a ferocious reader and an excellent writer. She loves fiercely. She instilled in me a love of Jesus, books, and Taylor Swift. With those three, how can you go wrong? Her life has not always been easy, but even as a child I could see the sacrifices she made for my siblings and me. We never wanted for new clothes, shoes, or even monogrammed lunchboxes. I remember leaving a school holiday party with my dad and seeing my mom’s car broken down right in the middle of the exit. I found out years later that she had to choose between getting gas that morning or bringing the cupcakes I had signed her up for, and she had chosen the cupcakes and hoped she could make it to payday without running out of gas. She tells that story with a light laugh now, but I know she still feels haunted by those memories. Raising three kids on a teacher’s salary was not easy, but she never complained. When I was about eight I woke up in the middle of the night and heard what sounded my mom talking on the phone. When I opened her door, I found her sitting in front of her computer with a headset on, holding a white board and a marker. It turns out she had been getting up at midnight every night to teach English to students in China in order to make extra money. She worked 20 hours a day to ensure we never went without. No matter how tired she was or how hectic life was as a single mom with three kids under the age of 8, church was a nonnegotiable. We attended twice a week and participated in retreats, camps, Easter egg hunts, fall festivals, volunteered at homeless shelters and served meals at rescue missions. We helped stock the local food pantry even when our own pantry was low. And although I many learned many things from my mom, having a servant’s heart is at the top of the list. I came to truly know the Lord when I was 13 and began walking faithfully after encountering His presence and rededicating my life to Him. While in high school, I realized I found no satisfaction or true fulfilment in the idea or pursuing an ordinary vocation. My youth pastor then told me about a conference for students who could possibly be called to ministry. It was at that conference that I realized the Lord was calling me to serve Him. I then began realizing the gifts He had given me- the ability to connect with, empathize, and share wisdom with others- followed by my love of conversation, service, and intentionality could be used in the form of counseling. As a result, I have been led to study psychology and eventually practice Christian counseling. My mom is still my best friend. My love of reading and ability to form a cohesive sentence with proper grammar and punctuation are traits inherited from her which have served me well. She often tells me I got the very best parts of both her and my dad. I miss her fiercely now that I am away at school, but I know I am set up for success with the skills I learned from her-empathy, compassion, resilience, a touch of sarcasm, and a deep love of Taylor Swift.