Hannah Galloway, a senior majoring in biology, is passionate about children and volunteers her time to mentor them, which is fitting, considering she plans on becoming a pediatrician.
Hometown:
Alto, Georgia
High School:
Habersham Central High School
Degree objective:
B.S. in biology
Expected graduation:
Spring 2016
University highlights, achievements, awards and scholarships:
One of my passions is for children, and some of my favorite experiences in Athens have been the opportunities I’ve had to work with kids. Freshman year I was a mentor at the Thomas Lay After School Program. Last year I began mentoring through the Clarke County Mentoring Program. Every week I get to spend time with my mentee at her school, and I enjoy every minute of it. She is hilarious, always singing or dancing around the room. Children need role models to look up to, and it has been so rewarding to be there for her and watch her mature with each visit.
I also participated in the service-learning course “Project Focus,” my favorite class at UGA so far. For this class I was able to go three days a week to teach science at a local elementary school, helping to create an interest in the subject and an overall love of learning in my students.
While at UGA I’ve been able to participate in other organizations that give me the opportunity to volunteer and serve others throughout Athens. I am involved with the service-oriented honors society Sigma Alpha Lambda and currently am its co-vice president of community service. Medlife and AMSA have also given me opportunities to combine my interest in medicine and my love of service.
One of my goals after being accepted into UGA was to get into the Honors Program, and I was so excited when I was. The classes have been a great way to challenge myself academically and I’ve been able to meet many inspiring, hard-working students through it. I have also made the dean’s list each semester since freshman year and have been a Presidential Scholar for one semester.
My years at UGA have been amazing, but I never could have been successful without the support of the incredible friends and family that God has blessed me with in life.
Current Employment:
UGA chemistry department
I chose to attend UGA because…
My top college choices were either UGA or a smaller college close to home. Once I stepped on campus for my first tour, my decision was made. I knew this would be a place that would offer me new experiences and the opportunities to meet new people. I could tell that UGA would also be a great choice to help prepare me to pursue a future career in medicine.
My favorite things to do on campus are…
One of my favorite things to do is explore North Campus. Being a science major, I rarely have classes there, so I enjoy being able to sit and take in the beauty of the area whenever I get the chance.
When I have free time, I like…
… to go for a run. Running is my time to relax and forget about all the things I need to get done. It’s hard to worry about that upcoming O-chem test when I’m more focused on trying to make it up the hills at Lake Herrick without passing out.
The craziest thing I’ve done is…
… get a puppy this semester and completely underestimate how much work it would be! I asked my parents all summer for a dog, thinking that since it was my senior year and I was done with the MCAT that I would have plenty of time to spare. So they surprised me with a beautiful golden retriever puppy for my birthday. Now my time management skills are being put to the test while I balance classes, work and taking care of him. Even though I will never know what eight hours of sleep feels like again, having him is definitely worth it. I’ve become that person who only posts about their dog on social media. Plus, I get a great leg workout taking him up and down three flights of stairs at my apartment every 30 minutes.
My favorite place to study is…
… in my bed with a cup of coffee. It’s the only place I can go with no distractions.
My favorite professor is…
I have been fortunate to have had many amazing professors who genuinely care about their students. Richard Morrison, Christine Franklin and James Richardson are a few that have stood out the most. William Said was also one of my favorite professors; once during office hours he told me he was proud of me, one of the most inspiring statements a professor has told me to date. There have also been other UGA faculty members that have had a tremendous impact on me during my time here. My biology adviser Margaret Sapp has been one of the most encouraging people I have worked with. She has gone above and beyond to help me, truly believing in my success. Elizabeth Sears has also been influential toward my goal of becoming a doctor. Without her advice, I never would have finished my personal statement or my secondary essays for medical schools.
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with…
… it would definitely be Taylor Swift. I’ve been a fan since “Teardrops on My Guitar,” and she has a song to match any mood I could possibly be in. Getting to be part of her girl gang for a day would be a dream come true.
If I knew I could not fail, I would…
… learn to do something creative. I’ve always been fascinated by people who can paint, design, write music, play an instrument. Unfortunately I’ve never been artistic or musically inclined, so having some kind of talent like this has only been a distant dream.
If money was not a consideration, I would love to…
… travel the world. Growing up I haven’t had many opportunities to explore other places; I’ve never been out of the country and really haven’t been out of the Southeast. I have a whole list of places I hope to see one day.
After graduation, I plan to…
… go to medical school. I love kids, so I know that I want to go into pediatrics. I also hope to practice in a rural, underserved area of the country one day.
The one UGA experience I will always remember will be…
I will always remember the IMPACT trip I went on junior year. I went to Pembroke, North Carolina, for Native American Cultural Awareness, and I never expected that the trip would as incredible and eye-opening as it was. I got to plant potatoes at an organic farm, canoe down the Lumber River and learn more about the Lumbee Tribe and some of their traditions. We also helped out at the Boys and Girls Club, which was the highlight of the trip for me. I had a second-grader destroy me at pool and got to show the boys that girls can play basketball too. The people of the community were so welcoming and went out of their way to make us feel at home. I also loved the amazing group of students who went on the trip with me. I left with 20 strangers and came back with 20 friends. It was such a humbling experience to get to spend a week surrounded by other people who share my desire to help others.