Amanda Elam as a truly amazing student. She has been described as upbeat, optimistic and always smiling. She has been captain of the UGA women’s soccer club team. She made dean’s list many times, is an honors student, and has received Charter and Governor’s Scholarships. She is a cadet lieutenant colonel in UGA’s Air Force ROTC. She has worked as a math tutor, and she is pursuing a dual major in biology and mathematics. She plans to attend medical school after graduation and hopes to attend the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
Hometown:
Sissonville, W. Va.
High School:
Lowndes High School
Degree objective:
B.S. in biology and B.S. in mathematics
Expected graduation:
Spring 2008
University highlights, achievements, awards and scholarships:
I am a UGA Honors Program member and a Charter Scholarship recipient. I have received a Hollingsworth Scholarship, and the Heart and Soul Award for UGA Women’s Soccer vs. Liberty.
Current Employment:
I work as a medical office assistant for a dermatologist and I am a bus operator and new driver trainer for Campus Transit.
I chose to attend UGA because…
…it represented the perfect balance of athletics and academics. I had offers from several schools, but UGA had a good women’s soccer team, and an even better track record for producing medical school matriculants. I love to play soccer, but it won’t ever be my profession. I chose to attend a school that would give me the best chance to succeed in life.
My favorite things to do on campus are…
…taking the time to walk to class, especially in the spring and the fall. On nice days, I love to leave for class a little early and enjoy a walk across campus instead of taking a bus. Despite the number of people on campus, I commonly encounter someone I know along the way to enjoy the walk with.
When I have free time, I like…
…my biggest passion is almost anything athletic. I love to watch and participate, especially in soccer, running and weight lifting. Besides sports, I listen to country music, read for pleasure and watch crime shows such as Law & Order: SVU and CSI.
The craziest thing I’ve done is…
…tried to climb on top of Stegman Coliseum. The gates around the top are a lot higher than they look!
My favorite place to study is…
…my bedroom. I put my work on the foot of the bed and then kneel facing the bed to work. For some reason, I just concentrate best that way!
My favorite professor is…
…not actually a professor. Her name is April Harper, and she is a lab technician in Will York’s lab at the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center. I did research in Professor York’s lab, and I worked very closely with April for the summer. She is a wonderful person and teacher. I learned a tremendous amount from her, and she has been a wonderful advocate for me since then.
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with…
…my grandmother. For Air Force ROTC, all cadets have to go to field training, and we can’t have any communication with the outside world except mail. My grandmother died in June 2007, and about a month later, I found a letter she sent me while I was at field training telling me how much she loves me and how proud she is of me. I want to be able to tell her how much I love her again.
If I knew I could not fail, I would…
…do exactly what I’m doing. My dream has always been to go to medical school, but if I have to choose something else, I would be a pilot in the Air Force. Unfortunately, they won’t let me fly planes because I’m too short.
After graduation, I plan to…
…attend medical school. As an ROTC cadet, my first choice is the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. After that, I will work for the Air Force as a physician in various parts of the world.
The one UGA experience I will always remember will be…
…meeting new people at the dining hall when I was still on the meal plan. Sometimes all of the tables are full, so you sit with someone you don’t know. It’s a great way to meet a lot of new and interesting people.
