Hannah Buehner had her mind made up.

Hannah Buehner of Connersville, Indiana, is IU East’s Naomi Osborne Scholar for the Class of 2021.

Indiana University East perfectly fit what she was looking for in a college.

She could get close to her instructors and the campus community.

She could stay close to home in Connersville.

And she could make a smooth transition after earning 46 college credits in high school.

In other words, IU East was in her comfort zone. “I knew right away that it would be the best choice. It was the only one (college) where I applied,” Buehner said.

The fit was perfect, indeed.

The 22-year-old has maintained a 4.0 grade-point average throughout her studies and is the Naomi Osborne Scholar for the Class of 2021. The Naomi Osborne Award is an honor given to the graduate with the highest grade point average.

Buehner is earning dual degrees: a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies.

Excellent grades are obviously a family trait. Her twin brother, Ben, is giving the commencement address for the Purdue Polytechnic Institute, which also is scheduled May 14. He will receive a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology.

The Buehner twins were always competitive in academics before going down divergent paths in college. “I think that was a help in motivating me. We got over the competition, though,” she jokes.

Their parents are John and Tammy Buehner of Connersville.

Hannah Buehner discovered a passion for world travel as an IU East student. After a study abroad trip in 2019 to Spain, Buehner is inspired to pursue her master’s degree. She hopes to one day teach Spanish and lead trips abroad.

The dual credits that Buehner earned through the Early College High School Cohort at Connersville High School helped keep her class load to just four or five courses per semester at IU East.

That left her with more free time than many degree-seeking students — and she used it to discover a passion for foreign travel and a deeper passion for teaching Spanish.

“I do enjoy trying new things, having new experiences,” Buehner said.

She aims to pass on her special experiences as a Spanish teacher after earning a master’s degree at the University of Louisville. “I’d love to stay in education. Through my classes, I was able to peer into the world deeper,” she said. “I’d love to share my experiences that way.”

She can foresee herself leading study abroad trips as a teacher in Indiana.

“I want to help students within my own community,” Buehner said.

Ironically, Buehner stumbled onto the study abroad program by accident.

“I had no idea what that program was,” she said. “I heard about one (trip) going to Puerto Rico and I didn’t need a passport (because it’s a U.S. Territory).”

So, she went and the experience helped cement her direction to teach Spanish.

She got her passport soon after that and has now visited the Dominican Republic and Spain through IU East programs, too.

The trips helped her build relationships with instructors and trip leaders that she said will last forever. They include World Languages and Cultures faculty Dianne Moneypenny, chair and associate professor; Christine Nemcik, assistant professor; Felix Burgos, assistant professor; and Julien Simon, associate professor and director of Study Abroad at IU East.

“I had an amazing opportunity to get to know them on a personal level,” Buehner said. “That helped me excel.”

Buehner admits that the Communication Studies curriculum was more demanding for maintaining a perfect GPA. “The classes were never easy. They were challenging in a good way.”

Despite her obvious academic successes — she was salutatorian in high school — good grades haven’t come easy for her.

“I work hard at it,” she said. “I always tried to turn things in that I was proud of. You have to internalize how important it is…and motivate yourself.”

She believes her computer training coming into IU East gave her essential tools for persevering through the pandemic that moved classes online for most of her senior year.

“I’ve had a lot of experience with interacting online,” she said. “That helped with maintaining good grades. I already was used to a web-based classroom.”

Buehner has stayed busy in other ways during her years as an IU East student. She is a full-time office assistant at Mound State Recreation Area, located in Brookville, Indiana, where she has worked for five seasons from April until November. “I love the state park system and the employees…and always wanted to return,” she said.

IU East Commencement Ceremony is at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 14, in front of Whitewater Hall. For more information on the IU East Commencement Ceremony, visit iue.edu/commencement.