Morgan Libruk, a 2009 graduate of Hudson High School and Questar III’s New Visions: Scientific Research & World Health, was the valedictorian of her graduating class, with no shortage of accolades, extracurricular activities and ambitions.
Ruth Russell, the instructor for the New Visions program, revealed that Morgan earned the Rensselaer Educational Center’s Achievement Award, the $5,000 Giddings Scholarship, and was a member of the National Honor Society and the National Technical Honor Society.
After graduation, Morgan traveled over 200 miles to Clarkson University—almost to the Canadian border—to pursue her dream of studying biology. Now six years later, Morgan has returned to the Capital Region as a licensed and registered surgical Physician Assistant (PA).
Morgan’s interest in biology began in high school. In most cases, high school students take only one year of biology but Morgan wanted more than the standard requirement. She found that opportunity in Questar III’s New Visions program. Initially, according to Russell, Morgan expressed an interest in pursuing a career in genetics or neuroscience, and New Visions provided exposure to a variety of scientific study.
Morgan Libruk working in the New Visions lab at the University at Albany’s Cancer Research Center in 2009.
“New Visions allowed me to explore this area of science further and I decided to pursue a degree in biology,” said Morgan. “It wasn’t until my second or third year at Clarkson when I started taking more classes of personal interest (like anatomy and physiology) that I decided I wanted to go to PA school.”
The four-year biology program was finished in just three years, which Morgan listed as one of her proudest accomplishments. She also credited Questar III’s New Visions program for making this feat possible.
“I was able to graduate from undergrad in three years instead of four because most, if not all, college credits I received during my senior year of high school were transferable,” Morgan said.
She also noted the financial benefit of participating in New Visions. Accumulating transferable college credits during high school meant fewer credits to take once she officially enrolled in college, ultimately saving Morgan a full year’s tuition.
After completing the PA program, Morgan passed the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam in June 2015 and secured a job as a general surgery PA at St. Peter’s Hospital just two months later.
This is no surprise considering Morgan graduated with a nearly perfect GPA and as a member of the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society, as well as the national honor societies for psychology, biology and Physician Assistants. She is currently a member the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) and the NYS Society of Physician Assistants (NYSSPA).
Morgan’s success is shared by Hudson CSD and Questar III. She said that New Visions encouraged personal growth “because it placed more emphasis on independence, responsibility and time management,” which are essential in the formula for success in both college and career.
“I’d have to say my greatest overall personal and professional accomplishments are graduating from PA school and starting my career at such a young age, all while growing mentally and emotionally,” Morgan remarked.
“The best part of my career is the satisfaction of knowing I am making a difference in so many lives. To have the capacity, at the age of 24, to take care of and prescribe medications to sick people is pretty amazing.”
