Now, after multiple years of the Star Student Athlete program, we have a chronicle of student athletes who have been selected throughout their school year by their coaches for their outstanding efforts in the sports arena, as well as their exemplary scholastic and community participation.
We now have the opportunity to take a look back and see where these outstanding young individuals hard work, dedication and goals has taken them. Our first selection of the “Where are They Now” series is Mia Lynn Runge, known as Mia Weaver when she was chosen Star Student Athlete in June of 2020 for her participation in the Brookings-Harbor High School Golf program by then coach Gary Early, who told the Compass “She is one of the most dedicated and competitive players I have coached”.
Mia was the 2020 senior class president, as well as team captain of the girls Golf Team. She scholastically maintained a 3.49 GPA while mentoring youth junior golf programs and led her team to Brookings-Harbor High School girls only state play-off appearance at the time. Mia also put in 400 hours of community volunteering and won an excellence award in leadership.
The Compass caught up with Mia and asked her, ‘in a sentence, tell us what stands out from the past 5 years?’. “When I look back on the last five years, I see more than just milestones” she said. “I see resilience, sacrifice, and the gradual shaping of my identity as a nurse.”
Throughout high school, Mia was a dedicated student and an active leader, serving in Leadership for four years and completed hundreds of volunteer hours. Upon graduation she intended to further her education at SWOCC pursuing a career in nursing. The volunteer experience that left the greatest impression on her was her time at Curry Good Samaritan, now known as Curry Village. It was there, she told the Compass, that she first discovered her passion for helping people in times of illness and vulnerability.
In 2019, Mia planned to apply for the CNA program as soon as she was of age, but then came March 13th, 2020 a day she said she will never forget. “That morning, I was volunteering at Curry Good Samaritan,” she told the Compass, “helping with arts and crafts, when staff informed me that due to a rapidly spreading illness, volunteers could no longer remain.” She left and went to the beach, unaware of how drastically life was about to change. “None of us knew it then, but school would never truly return in person,” she said, “and my senior year ended abruptly.”
Mia graduated from Brookings-Harbor High School in 2020 and immediately began her prerequisites at Southwestern Oregon Community College. She carried a heavy course load of 12–18 credits per term, and within one year completed all the prerequisites to pursue nursing. Mia didn’t get into the program on her first application and in the fall of 2022, she accepted a position as a Patient Care Technician in the Emergency Department at Curry General Hospital. “The ER environment tested my resilience, sharpened my skills, and reminded me why I wanted to be a nurse in the first place.” she said.
We asked Mia what were the easier and most difficult times of her journey. “The stress of online coursework during the pandemic, the long hours of working full-time while attending school, and the emotional responsibility of serving as a caregiver for my grandfather during his battle with cancer.” were some of her tougher times. The easiest part was living at home, where I had the comfort of my family’s support and only a limited amount of bills to worry about.”
On August 17th, 2024, after navigating a long-distance relationship through it all, Mia and her middle school sweetheart, Patrick Runge were married.
We asked Mia what her advice would be for those who wish to pursue a similar path to reach their own goals, “Take as many college credits as you can in high school before you graduate and apply for as many scholarships as you possibly can.” she said. “Also, consider community colleges, they can be a wonderful opportunity to not only have a smaller class size, but also be more affordable, and more flexible while giving you the same opportunities as a 4 year university”
“Now, in June 2025, I graduate with my Associate of Applied Science in Nursing, the first in my family to earn a college degree. I know my diploma represents far more than academic success, it represents the volunteer hours that sparked my passion, the challenges of a global pandemic, the lessons I learned in the ER, the love of my family, and the resilience I discovered within myself.” – Mia Lynn Runge
Mia has accepted a position in the Curry General Hospital Emergency Room in Gold Beach.
Congratulations Mia, and we wish the very best for you and your family wherever your future takes you.
