HOME > Future Students > New Student/Alumni/Faculty Profiles

DSU Student/Alumni/Faculty Profile

Afton  Garland

Afton Garland Senior, From Sidney Montana Majoring in Pre-Professional Biology

A Queen of Student Leadership

By: Amy Magstadt

Being a senior in college could easily be defined as bittersweet. However, Dickinson State University senior Afton Garland is one well-rounded student who has truly taken advantage of her college experience.

Garland, a senior from Sidney, Mont., is majoring in pre-professional biology and minoring in leadership studies. Drive and ambition are things that Garland clearly does not lack. She is a member of the Theodore Roosevelt Honors Leadership Program, a program that has given her many opportunities to advance student leadership skills.

“I have tried to be as involved in the TRHLP as possible throughout my years at DSU,” said Garland. “It is a great program that has provided me with many opportunities that I normally wouldn’t have had access to.”

Garland recently presented at the National Collegiate Honors Council in Phoenix, Ariz., with 11 members of the TRHLP. The NCHC is a conference in which collegiate honors students from around the nation come together to share ideas or present projects and research they have completed. She and two other student presenters in her group presented on ways how universities can develop community partnerships.

In addition to being a TR Scholar, Garland finds time to belong to many other student organizations on campus such as Science Club, Students in Free Enterprise, Campus Crusade for Christ, the Theodore Roosevelt Executive Committee and Science Olympiad.

Throughout her time at DSU, Garland has accomplished much of what most students dream of. She has been named to the Dean’s List three semesters and the President’s List two semesters, was given the Outstanding Servant Leader Award for the 2010-2011 school year, presented at two national honors conferences and was most recently named DSU’s Homecoming Queen on her birthday.

“I feel honored that I was chosen as the 2011 Homecoming Queen,” said Garland. “When they called my name that night, I was very excited, happy and shocked; I never thought anything like that could happen. I plan to use this role to represent DSU in a positive manner.”

With her time at DSU drawing to an end, Garland has no plans of slowing down. After graduation, she plans on furthering her studies in the medical field. She has already applied for medical school and an accelerated nursing program, to which she would later go on to become a nurse practitioner. 

Her interest for medicine was sparked at an early age. “Diabetes seems to run in my dad’s side of the family,” said Garland. “Growing up around it has taught me a lot about the disease and definitely has influence my thoughts on the medical field. I haven’t settled on a particular specialty yet, but I do know that I love medicine and it fascinates me.”

Graduate school is something that Garland looks forward to with anticipation, but feels that she has been well prepared. “DSU has prepared me for the next level of education by providing me with some great classes taught by great professors. I enjoy the fact that I am not just a face in the classroom; I’m an individual student,” said Garland.

She has also had some help from her role models. “I have always looked up to my parents and considered them to be my role models,” said Garland. “They have taught me right from wrong and have helped me to grow strong in my faith. I don’t know what I would do without them.”

As for advice for the rest of her student peers; “Work hard for your education, but also get involved with as many organizations and activities as possible on campus and within the community. It is important to enjoy college while you can because it goes by fast.” Take her advice. After all, she is a queen.