By KALEY LYON

klyon@dailynews.net

Like all graduates, when Hannah Mazour walked across the stage at Saturday's commencement, she stepped into a new chapter of her life, a new adventure.

Unlike most other Fort Hays State University graduates, Mazour's new adventure will take her clear across the world, where she will be a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana.

"I'm very excited," Mazour said. "It's scary, but exciting."

Mazour graduated Saturday with a bachelor's degree in political science and had originally planned to attend law school.

After her FHSU experience -- the friends she's made, the lessons she's learned, the church she's attended -- Mazour, a native of Franklin, Neb., decided to take a different path.

Her decision was partly inspired by a friend, who had volunteered with the organization in Costa Rica, and an interest in mission work that has grown during her years at Celebration Community Church, she said.

Mazour knew she had a heart for Africa, but did not have the opportunity to choose her location. The entire process, from the application to the destination, has been a faith walk, she said.

"I really wanted to go to Africa. That's really where my heart is," Mazour said. "That's definitely something I've been praying about, and I was really excited when I found out about that."

Mazour was one of more than 2,000 graduates honored at Saturday's 2008 commencement ceremony at Gross Memorial Coliseum.

It was standing room only during the exercises, as family and friends gathered to support, and cheer for, their graduates.

President Edward H. Hammond wished the graduates well on the rest of their journey, and said the ties between students and the university will not end.

"If the light of our university continues to shine, it will through you and all of you who have walked our halls, sat in our classrooms and been a part of our university community," he said. "We are not here to say goodbye today, but rather, until we meet again."

This holds true for Mazour, who said she will not forget her time at FHSU.

Mazour plans to arrive in Ghana in late September, after completing prerequisite training in Philadelphia.

Once in Ghana, she'll help provide an agriculture extension service, teaching the village natives about tree nurseries and how to raise food crops.

While she's excited about her new adventure, which includes a lifestyle with no running water and electricity, she is sad to see her college experience end and to part from those who have become an important part of her life, she said.

"It's kind of one of those bittersweet experiences. I've really had a great time here and gained a lot of friends and knowledge at Fort Hays, and the staff and everyone here has been really great," Mazour said. "I'm definitely sad to leave, but I know there's something bigger and better out there and I definitely want to pursue that. I'm really excited to graduate and get on with my life.

"I definitely will remember Hays though."