{"id":1222,"date":"2025-08-11T09:00:15","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T09:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/?p=1222"},"modified":"2025-08-08T20:10:57","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T20:10:57","slug":"a-head-start-on-a-calling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/2025\/08\/11\/a-head-start-on-a-calling\/","title":{"rendered":"A Head Start on a Calling"},"content":{"rendered":"
By the time he sets foot on Marshall\u2019s campus as a first-year student this fall, Tristan Hornbuckle will already have 30 college credits under his belt\u2014and a coveted spot in the university\u2019s prestigious BS\/MD program.<\/p>\n

\"Tristan<\/p>\n

For Tristan, a 2025 graduate of Huntington High School and a proud participant in Marshall\u2019s dual enrollment program, the Herd Academy<\/a>, the future is coming fast \u2013 and he\u2019s ready for it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always signed up for the most advanced options available,\u201d Tristan said. \u201cTaking dual credit courses gave me a head start and let me knock out some of the basics before I even started college. That means I can focus on more advanced courses sooner or even graduate early.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tristan began his Herd Academy journey as a high school sophomore, enrolling in a dual credit math class and quickly realizing the opportunity in front of him. Over the next two years, he completed a combination of dual credit, online and on-campus courses\u2014building confidence, saving money and gaining valuable experience along the way.<\/p>\n

Many high school students, and their parents, are surprised to learn how affordable dual enrollment courses can be. Some of Tristan\u2019s classes were only $75 per semester. Others were entirely free.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s one of the most cost-effective ways to earn college credit,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019re doing the same work you\u2019d do later, but for a fraction of the price. And you get to do it while you\u2019re still in high school.\u201d<\/p>\n

But the benefits weren\u2019t just financial. For Tristan, the courses served as an introduction to college-level academics. With user-friendly platforms and supportive instructors, the classes offered both challenge and encouragement.<\/p>\n

\"Tristan<\/p>\n

\u201cThey weren\u2019t overwhelming,\u201d he said. \u201cJust different.\u201d<\/p>\n

That early preparation paid off in a big way. Tristan was accepted into Marshall\u2019s competitive BS\/MD program, a direct path from undergraduate study to medical school. He is currently planning to pursue a career in orthopedic medicine.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know things can change, but right now, that\u2019s what I\u2019m passionate about,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

While many students spend their first year adjusting to college-level academics, Tristan is already familiar with the rhythm of university life.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t feel as out of place when you\u2019ve already taken classes, logged into the platform and met expectations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Though Tristan\u2019s accomplishments are his own, he comes from a family immersed in Marshall tradition.<\/p>\n

His father, Sean Hornbuckle, is a two-time Marshall graduate and former Mr. Marshall and Student Body President who now serves as the Minority Leader in the West Virginia House of Delegates. His mother, Claire Snyder, is a former Marshall Yeager Scholar, a two-time graduate, and previously worked at the university.<\/p>\n

Despite their strong ties to Marshall, both parents emphasized that the decision to attend Marshall was Tristan\u2019s alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted him to go where he felt most comfortable and challenged,\u201d said Sean. \u201cThen, when the BS\/MD program and scholarship opportunities came into play, Marshall made perfect sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Tristan<\/p>\n

Claire added, \u201cAs a former dual credit instructor, I saw how these courses helped students explore subjects, professors and formats\u2014both online and in person\u2014before they graduated high school. It\u2019s the kind of head start that builds confidence and opens doors.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Tristan and his family, the financial benefit was also significant.<\/p>\n

\u201cTristan will enter college with 30 credit hours already completed,\u201d Claire said. \u201cThat\u2019s a whole year of tuition saved.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked what advice they\u2019d give other families, both parents echoed a simple message: Start early and explore the options.<\/p>\n

\u201cTalk to your school counselor or the Herd Academy coordinator,\u201d Claire said. \u201cTry just one class. It\u2019s a no-pressure way to test the waters.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sean emphasized the mental readiness Herd Academy provides.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt prepares students for the structure and responsibility of college. That kind of exposure early on is invaluable\u2014especially for student-athletes or students in competitive academic tracks.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Tristan prepares to move into campus housing this fall, he\u2019s excited to experience Marshall in a new way\u2014this time as a full-time student.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve lived in Huntington my whole life,\u201d he said. \u201cBut living on campus with my friends and really being part of that community\u2014it\u2019s a whole new chapter.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a clear sense of purpose, a supportive family and a head start on his academic requirements, Tristan Hornbuckle is not just stepping into his future, he\u2019s sprinting toward it.<\/p>\n

And for students considering the Herd Academy, Tristan has one final piece of advice: \u201cDefinitely do it. It\u2019s worth it.\u201d<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By the time he sets foot on Marshall\u2019s campus as a first-year student this fall, Tristan Hornbuckle will already have 30 college credits under his belt\u2014and a coveted spot in the university\u2019s prestigious BS\/MD program. For Tristan, a 2025 graduate of Huntington High School and a proud participant in Marshall\u2019s dual enrollment program, the Herd […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":198,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-moments"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1222","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/198"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1222"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1222\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1280,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1222\/revisions\/1280"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}