Corrie Jackson, a junior majoring in biological sciences and psychology, has “pushed the limits” of everything she could get involved with as a student, from recruitment to mentoring to study abroad. The future pediatric surgeon says those activities have helped her flourish and thrive.
Hometown:
Macon, Georgia
High School:
Howard High School
Degree objective:
Biological sciences and psychology pre-med
Expected graduation:
May 2017
University highlights, achievements, awards and scholarships:
The path that led me to the University of Georgia is a unique one. I had no idea I would end up at such an amazing institution that has allowed me to flourish and thrive within myself and in my leadership skills. It was a weekend visitation experience my senior year in high school through the minority recruitment program Georgia Daze that changed my whole outlook on what it would mean to be a member of the Bulldog Nation. I was matched up with a first-year student who had my major, was able to attend classes, eat in the dining halls, sleep in the residence halls and even experience social life. It was through this experience that I felt like I could really call UGA home.
I came here as an open vessel, ready to experience all UGA had to offer. I came in as a biological sciences major knowing that one day I would be a pediatric surgeon. I was surprised, however, at all the opportunities I would be afforded outside of my major. My freshman year, though I wasn’t as involved as I could have been, I was an active member of Georgia Daze. I was even able to host my very own senior who would later commit to coming to UGA. That year I also got accepted into some organizations where I could really let my love for bringing diverse students into the Bulldog Nation thrive. These include ROSE Society housed in the athletic recruiting office, Georgia Recruitment Team in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions as well as a member of the executive board for Georgia Daze.
In the summer going into my sophomore year I got to experience the first highlight of my time truly being a student. I had the amazing opportunity to shadow an orthopedic pediatric surgeon in my hometown. I was the youngest in the ER, next to the patients of course. I stared in wonder every day during that two-month period at all the operations I got to see firsthand, from spinal fusions, open reductions and frantic visits to the NICU and emergency room. This is a testament that the reaches of the Bulldog Nation really stretch far and wide.
My sophomore year and onward I continued to thrive in organizations on campus that were near and dear to my heart as well as gained a few new ones along the way. One of the highlights during this year was not a service or organization I worked with on campus, but an amazing service I started giving to the Athens-Clarke County community. I am a firm believer that students at the University of Georgia are just as much a member of this community as they are a student at this school. In September 2014 I become a mentor through the Clarke County Mentor Program. I met my mentee at Hilsman Middle School when she was in the sixth grade. Now halfway through her seventh-grade year at Clarke Middle School, I visit her once a week to help with schoolwork, play games, support her in her extracurricular activities and talk about life and her future. We have truly grown together, and I have every intention of coming back to Athens to see her graduate high school, as she will be right there to watch me walk across the stage next year.
This is the same year I got the position as a resident assistant. This has also been an amazing highlight during my time here for the simple fact that I have been able to connect with so many of my residents from different walks of life. In East Campus Village I have gotten the opportunity to work with athletes, international students and soon-to-be graduates of UGA. I have also grown in my leadership, event planning and crisis management skills just from the nature of the duties I have to carry out on a day-to-day basis.
Now in the middle of my junior year I continue to push the limits of all I can get involved in here at UGA and in the Athens-Clarke County community. I have recently gotten involved in Whatever It Takes at UGA, an after-school tutoring program for first- through fifth-graders, become a tour leader for the Visitors Center, and have accepted an internship in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Though I am involved with so much outside of the classroom, my academics continue to come first. This summer I cannot wait to add a new highlight to my time here at UGA. This Maymester I will be traveling out of the country for the first time to Costa Rica for an avian biology program with Dr. Davis, who has been my advisor since freshman year, as well as one of my professors this semester.
Current Employment:
Resident assistant in East Campus Village, tour leader at the UGA Visitors Center.
Family Ties to UGA:
I am the first in my family to attend UGA.
I chose to attend UGA because…
I chose to attend UGA from my experience during my weekend visit with Georgia Daze. Outside of having an amazing time while I was here I received several scholarships that aided me in paying my way through school. The HOPE Scholarship, the Peyton Anderson Scholarship I received from my hometown for being a student from Bibb County attending a Georgia school, as well as a scholarship from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences I received coming into my freshman year. More importantly, I was happy I could attend a school that would allow me to be close to home to visit my family and hometown at least once a month.
My favorite things to do on campus are…
My favorite thing to do on campus is to lay out in the grassy areas between the buildings on campus. In the middle of campus there are some amazing areas to relax, study and truly get away from the hustle and bustle of a campus with 35,000 students. Laying out in the middle of Myers quadrangle, you feel like you and the fellow loungers are the only ones here.
When I have free time, I like…
When I have free time I enjoy spending it like a regular college student, and that’s with the amazing friends I’ve met here. When I get some time away from the books I enjoy meeting up with my friends and exploring downtown eateries, because eating is truly my favorite pastime. If we don’t feel like going out, a girls night in with Netflix and popcorn has served us well through many laughter-filled late nights.
The craziest thing I’ve done is…
… take a midnight race through North Campus. It was freshman year, and I had no idea what to expect, but it ended with a swim through the fountain and ringing of the Chapel bell.
My favorite place to study is…
… actually the conference room in my residence hall office. My resident assistant job has become one of my first priorities after academics so I end up spending a lot of time there anyway.
My favorite professor is…
My favorite professor by far is my advisor, as well as my professor, Adam Davis. The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is a small college but definitely makes up for its size in the quality of its faculty and staff in people like Dr. Davis. As my advisor since freshman year, he has helped me through so many college ups and downs — from trying to map out my schedule when all of my classes were full to getting me over the multiple freak-outs about whether I really will make it in med school. He has been nothing but knowledgeable and supportive in getting me to graduation and into med school by introducing me to so many opportunities here as well as getting me scheduled for my classes, of course. One of the newest of these opportunities happens to be my Maymester study abroad trip in avian biology that he will be facilitating.
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with…
… my grandmother. She passed away the summer before my sophomore year of high school. I would share an evening with her in my home around the dinner table and tell her all the things I have accomplished since she has gone. I would share with her all the wisdom I have gained and am still gaining all from the wealth of knowledge she shared with me all those years ago. My grandmother never went to college, and my mother had to work full time to pay her way through school, so I know she would be so proud of all I have accomplished through the sacrifices she made for her daughter and for me.
If I knew I could not fail, I would…
… be a gymnast! I know it sounds crazy but I struggle with cartwheels, so having that ability is so neat to me. If I was suddenly given that ability, I would literally do somersaults to class.
If money was not a consideration, I would love to…
… buy my parents a new house. I plan on doing this after I become a successful surgeon, so I guess the cat’s out of the bag now. They have given so much to make sure my brother and I have all the opportunities we deserve, so I would love to pay it forward.
After graduation, I plan to…
… take some time to shadow more surgeons in my hometown. My dream school is to attend Mercer School of Medicine and give back to underprivileged communities within the state of Georgia.
The one UGA experience I will always remember will be…
… my time serving on ROSE Society. Here I was able to work with athletic recruits and their families on game days between the hedges. There is nothing more invigorating than standing on the field of Sanford Stadium just moments before kickoff between the hedges. Some of my most memorable games that season were Tennessee and Auburn. Nothing like that rush of excitement!
