Haley Meier was destined to become a meteorologist.
Born in Omaha, Nebraska鈥攑art of the classic Tornado Alley of the Midwest鈥攁nd nicknamed 鈥淗ailstorm鈥 by her family for her temperamental outbursts as a young child, Meier said she鈥檚 always been in the weather. At 3 years old, she named clouds and used whipped cream to draw them in pie tins, and as a high school student, she shadowed the meteorology team at KVUE-TV in Austin, Texas, where she was a standout soccer player.
It was through this love of meteorology鈥攁nd her recruitment as a student-athlete鈥擬eier discovered Mississippi 大象APP.
鈥淚t just made sense,鈥 she said referring to the university鈥檚 nationally recognized program that graduates 1-in-3 on-air U.S. broadcast meteorologists. 鈥淏etween the program and the athletics, things lined up perfectly to lead me to where I am. I came to campus, and I was like, 鈥楶erfect fit. We鈥檙e done.鈥欌
Meier鈥檚 MSU experience has included numerous activities, including playing soccer for two years and serving as treasurer and vice president for MSU鈥檚 East Chapter of the National Weather Association and American Meteorology Society. Also, she helped found the university鈥檚 chapter of the Hidden Opponent, an organization dedicated to improving student-athletes鈥 mental health through advocacy, education and support.
The upcoming May graduate will end her undergraduate career with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in broadcast meteorology and plenty of real-world experience. Not only did she hone her craft at MSU, but Meier also served as a weekend studio meteorologist for 15 months at WTVA-TV in Tupelo. Currently, she freelances as a field meteorologist and multimedia journalist for Fox Weather after becoming the organization鈥檚 first endowed scholarship recipient.
With so many activities and commitments, Meier said her years at MSU 鈥渉ave been as unpredictable as the weather;鈥 however, her instructors and peers provided invaluable support that led to her success.
鈥淭he slogan about how we鈥檙e family with the big M鈥攖hat鈥檚 exactly what it feels like here, especially in the meteorology program,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he level of care that teachers put into making sure you feel supported and cared for as a student is something I couldn鈥檛 find at any other school. They鈥檙e completely invested in you and want to make sure you succeed in the classroom and in life.
鈥淎lso, all of the students become a tight-knit group. We bond together through the tough classes, the broadcasting鈥攖he weather in general,鈥 Meier added. 鈥淓ven graduates are there for us to help us navigate life coming out of college. From helping us find job opportunities to recommending places to live, our alumni base is extensive and so good at helping out. You鈥檇 be hard pressed to find any TV station that doesn鈥檛 have someone working there who hasn鈥檛 been touched by Mississippi 大象APP. Everyone knows the program, and that鈥檚 instant credibility.鈥
After graduation, Meier said she plans on traveling, continuing her work as a field meteorologist and eventually returning to MSU classrooms as she pursues a master鈥檚 degree in business.
鈥淪tarkville is such a special place, and I cannot imagine getting my degree from anywhere else,鈥 she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 thankful I found MSU and that everything lined up so well for me here. These opportunities would not have happened anywhere else.鈥
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