Student Profile - Jessica Woods Moerman
“Although exceptional academics is the most well-known aspect of the University Honors Program, the opportunity to be part of a family has been one of the greatest benefits UHON has bestowed upon me personally. My first experience as a UTC freshman was attending the UHON Orientation Retreat, where I became very close friends with many of the forty other incoming UHON freshmen and a handful of the UHON upperclassmen—all before classes had even started! Only now, reflecting on my freshman year, can I fully appreciate that opportunity to readily form so many acquaintances and close friendships. Unlike many incoming freshmen—especially those, like me, whose hometown is not Chattanooga—I did not have to worry about those “givens” we usually overlook, such as who to eat lunch and dinner with, who to hang out with on the weekends, and who to watch your favorite TV show with. The UHON family, however, has not only helped me maintain a healthy social life but has also been very active in shaping my academic and cultural development. UHON upperclassmen were always available to explain particularly challenging subjects as well as to offer advice regarding which professors to take classes from (and those it would be best to avoid.) The UHON family has also opened the door for me to travel throughout the United States and the world. I am extremely grateful to the UHON staff for tirelessly stressing the importance and benefits of international travel. And other UHON students who had been abroad inspired me to do the same. I’ve recently returned from a year-long study abroad experience in Adelaide, Australia, which would not have been possible without the guidance, encouragement, and support of UHON. While studying in Adelaide, I not only befriended many Australians but also students from Malaysia, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Greece, England, and France. Given that our world is increasingly becoming a global community, the opportunity to interact with such a culturally diverse group is absolutely invaluable.” |
Jessica enjoyed seeing the unique wildlife in Australia |
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Jessica is a senior from Maryville, TN, double-majoring in geology and chemistry. During the 2006-2007 academic year, she studied abroad at the University of Adelaide in Australia, where she took courses in geology and worked as a research assistant in the Department of Environmental Science preparing plant samples for chemical analysis to detect ore minerals. On her return to UTC in Fall 2007, she began her job on the UHON Program staff as the Student Assistant Director for the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 academic years. She has been a UHON Council representative in both her freshman and sophomore years, serving as chair of the Community Service Committee. In that capacity, she organized many volunteer opportunities for other students, including fundraising teams for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and for the Strides of March for HIV/AIDS research, and a "Trick or Cans" food drive to benefit the Chattanooga Food Bank. She also attended the National Collegiate Honors Council Conference as part of the UHON delegation in both her freshman and sophomore and senior years, making presentations about the UHON Council and recruitment at each conference. Her value to the life of the campus goes beyond the UHON Program, however. She is an active member of the student organization EDGE (Ecological Decision for a Global Environment) and of the campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity. She has been a valued student assistant in both geology (where she has conducted X-ray diffraction analyses and prepared palentology aids for students in basic geology courses) and in chemistry (where she has been a laboratory assistant to first-year chemistry students). In 2007 she assisted Dr. Gretchen Potts (Chemistry) and Dr. Tracy Jones (Geology) on a research project into vehicular impact on water quality in the Little Sequatchie River. In 2008-2009 she is working again with Dr. Gretchen Potts to assess the type and level of pollutants leaching from cigarette butts into the soil and water supply. Jessica will graduate in May 2009 with a B.S. degrees in Physics and Chemistry, magna cum laude, with Highest Honors in Chemistry. After graduation, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in geochemistry. |
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 Jessica taking boomerang throwing lessons |
 Jessica viewing some characteristic Australian rock formations |
This page last updated on August 29, 2008.
