"Before I applied to Marshall, my only experience with West Virginia was John Denver's song (Country Roads). When my mom suggested I look at the school and see if I wanted to apply, I said 'sure,'" explained Langley Sonnenberg, a native of Yokota Air Base in Japan. Although Marco initially persuaded Langley to apply (the bison is her favorite animal), she fell in love with the atmosphere and community upon her visit during the Yeager Finalist weekend. "The slogan that year was 'Best. Decision. Ever.' which transitioned to the 'I am a daughter of Marshall' campaign. Everyone I met embodied these phrases and had a different reason for why coming to Marshall was their best decision ever, and I wanted to find my own over the next four years of undergrad," she said. Double-majoring in economics and finance, Langley is a member of the Joseph and Pamela Gillette Class of 2020 of the Yeager Scholars program. After graduation, she intends to work in government services and then attend law school. "Coming from Japan and with no connection to Marshall besides the Yeager program, having a close knit group of people from freshman year has helped make West Virginia into my new home," said Langley. "This program has been such a blessing to me. My favorite part has been meeting people involved in the program and forming lasting relationships with my fellow Yeagers." Langley is actively involved on the Huntington campus where she is a member of Marshall’s Presidential Ambassadors, INTO Conversation Partners and Rotaract, a university-based Rotary Club. Currently, she is interning at both Huntington's City Hall and Northwestern Mutual, all while balancing her course load and additional requirements from the Yeager program. This past summer, the Gillette Class of 2020 met its program requirement of studying at Oxford, which has been Langley's favorite opportunity her program has provided thus far. "I spent the first two weeks of summer on a road trip through Eastern Europe before studying international management and international business for four weeks in Austria. Then I met up with my Yeager classmates and spent three weeks studying at Oxford," she explained. At Oxford, Langley completed two history courses, including British political history. A Place of Belonging Another program requirement is the Yeager Symposium lecture and dinner, which is held annually for parents, alumni, donors, board members, faculty and staff to hear a report from each of the four current Yeager classes and hear from a guest speaker. The senior class is tasked with planning the event and maintaining a budget to create a meaningful and memorable event. Langley is looking forward to her class preparing next year's symposium and learning about a topic she otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity to study. While the program requirements serve as countless chances for learning, the Yeager scholarship provides many once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. "Scholarships are the only reason I can attend college. I have two siblings who are both currently in college and without scholarships, there is no way we would be able to attend the schools we do without being financially burdened once we graduate,” said Langley. “The Yeager scholarship has enabled me to take advantage of opportunities that I wouldn't be able to otherwise, like interning at City Hall and Northwestern Mutual. I'm so grateful for all of the people who support programs like the Yeager program for making these experiences possible for college students." Her hope is that Marshall continues to grow and welcome more students into the Marshall family while integrating more in the city of Huntington so that students feel involved in both communities. She applauds President Gilbert's dedication to expanding programs and initiatives on campus. "I am grateful for such an involved president who cares about students and wants them all to succeed," she said. Reflecting on her journey to Marshall and building a family far away from Japan with her Yeager classmates, Langley is thankful for the support and guidance of donors, particularly the Gillettes. “Each year, a new class of Yeager Scholars is named after a prominent member of the Marshall family in the hope that the students will connect with their namesakes and find guidance from them,” explained Langley. “As a member of the Gillette Class of 2020, I am so grateful that Joe and Pam have welcomed us as part of their family and look forward to when we see them. Coming from Japan, I had no ties to West Virginia or Marshall and from day one I have felt like my Yeager classmates and I have formed our own family that keeps growing the longer we’re in the program. Our class namesakes serve as the ‘parents’ of our family and our seminar professors and mentors become like aunts and uncles as we get to know and become closer to them. I am so grateful for my Yeager family and for the support they give as we pursue opportunities around the world that Yeager has made possible for us.”