A look at some of the members of the Class of 2007, where they've been, and where they're going.

Name: Hunter Feemster
Hometown: Greenville
High School: Shannon Forest Christian School
Major: M.Ed., language and literacy
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Hunter Feemster has always been interested in living internationally. And now, with a master's degree in language and literacy education from the University of South Carolina, she will do just that.

The Greenville native and Shannon Forest Christian School graduate will spend the next year of her life in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, where she will teach English, plus some math and science, to orphans of the area.

The combination of internationalism and humanitarianism is a natural for Feemster, who got solid training in both thanks to Heidi Mills, the education professor who introduced Feemster to a family of Somali Bantu refugees that was placed in Columbia several years ago.

"She had pretty much adopted the family when they moved to America and really helped them out," said Feemster. "The year before I started program, one of the doctoral students had spent lot of time with them. I heard about Heidi looking for someone to help with that."

What followed was a two-year personal commitment to the immigrant family. Through twice-a-week meetings, she helped them through seemingly routine tasks, such as paying bills and shopping, as well as matters in which she was being professionally trained. She helped the children with their schoolwork and reading and was a welcome presence at parent-teacher conferences. She even took the family, at her own time and expense, to Charleston for meetings required by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Though Mills never taught Feemster in a class, Feemster learned plenty from her unofficial mentor.

"She really got me thinking about the world and different cultures and language barriers," Feemster said. "It was definitely stepping out of my box, and it definitely opened my eyes to things I hadn't thought about. ... She definitely is a passionate lifelong learner. Her compassion for other people and cultures really struck me."

Feemster's advice to incoming students, thus, is to define education in broad terms.

"Enjoy every second," she said. "It flies by. Savor every second. Definitely make the academic side a high priority, but invest in relationships, and get involved in things, on and off campus."

Feemster said she would steer other potential students toward the university because of the College of Education faculty's dedication and compassion.

"All the professors are brilliant and passionate and dedicated to research and to their students," she said. "Any way they can help out, they will bend over backward. It's been a really amazing learning environment.

"The program has taught me to embrace learning, to continue learning, to take a challenge and not be afraid."