As a middle child among eight siblings, April Rump ’25 discovered a natural gift for helping others. “I was fascinated with family dynamics,” she said.

Financial challenges and a global pandemic made Rump wonder whether college was possible. A high school history teacher urged her to pursue her psychology dreams.

“That's what really inspired me to take the risk and follow what I'm passionate about,” Rump explained. “I [decided] to embark on helping people.”

She set her sights on pursuing a psychology major at F&M, but the virtual tour truly sealed the deal. Even through a screen, Rump felt a solid connection to the campus and sensed it was where she belonged. “I wanted a smaller school with a good community, and F&M just felt right,” she said.

Her journey of self-discovery took on new energy the moment she stepped into the classroom. One of Rump’s most unforgettable F&M experiences was an intimate, transformative study-abroad program in Denmark led by Senior Teaching Professor of Psychology Christina Abbott. With fewer than a dozen students, the program offered Rump a chance to dive deeply into her studies while exploring a new cultural landscape.

“It was this tight-knit little class about health psychology and then exploring it in Danish culture,” she said. “I learned a lot about the health-care system and people’s health behaviors.”

“F&M provided the space for me to grow and explore, making a difference in my life in ways I never imagined.”

— April Rump ’25

Rump’s involvement goes beyond academics. She’s an active member of Rumspringa, F&M’s improvisational comedy club, which she describes as a “second family.” She also found a supportive faith community through InterVarsity, where she developed leadership skills by co-leading Bible study sessions and forged lifelong friendships.

Rump said one of her favorite aspects of F&M is the College’s dedicated faculty. She said that Kabi Hartman, director of the program in support of academic excellence and senior teaching professor of English, encouraged her to embrace vulnerability, curiosity and self-expression.

“The way she cultivated that culture we had in the classroom where nobody was on their laptops, everyone was present and watching. If you were presenting something, they were actively listening or giving you feedback,” Rump said. “It was a great class.”

For Rump, this supportive culture extends beyond academics. Financial aid played a crucial role in her growth, allowing her to study abroad, build lasting connections, discover her passions and fully immerse herself in the F&M experience. “It’s given me the ability to really grow into myself, meet other people and have that effect of touching the lives of other people that I want to have.”

Rump looks forward to a future in education. She applied to Fulbright’s U.S. Teaching Assistantship Program in Austria, and is looking into the nonprofit Teach for America, where more than 100 F&M alumni have participated since it began in 1990.

“F&M provided the space for me to grow and explore, making a difference in my life in ways I never imagined,” said Rump.