“Involvement in student organizations has definitely been the highlight of my time at UGA,” says Amy Wong, an environmental health sciences major from Lilburn. From Campus Kitchen to Students for Environmental Action, Amy is making the most of the public service opportunities at UGA.
Hometown:
Lilburn, Ga.
High School:
Parkview High School
Degree objective:
B.S. in environmental health science
Expected graduation:
spring 2014
University highlights, achievements, awards and scholarships:
Because UGA is so large, I’ve had the opportunity to explore my interests through many classes and extracurricular activities. Involvement in student organizations has definitely been the highlight of my time at UGA. After wandering through the student activities fairs and various club meetings, I became more involved in Students for Environmental Action, UGArden and the Campus Kitchens Project. Along with seeing myself grow since my freshman year, I have seen Campus Kitchen dramatically expand since its inception as a student group on campus, which is awesome. This year, I am also a student ambassador for the College of Public Health and a member of the Georgia Recruitment Team.
Through the Public Service and Outreach Scholars Program, I interned with the Marine Extension in Athens and Brunswick, where I did everything from research about oysters to test hair samples for mercury. The experience gave me a better understanding of the university’s role in service to the community and how research, education and service are interconnected at UGA. This past summer, I went to UGA Costa Rica as one of the sustainability interns to write the campus’s 2012 Sustainability Report, which we hope to finish by the end of this year.
Current Employment:
student worker at the Plant Genome Mapping Lab
Family Ties to UGA:
My brother, who graduated four years ago, is also a Bulldog.
I chose to attend UGA because…
Athens provides a picturesque backdrop for a college town that is close and far away from home at the same time. HOPE scholarship and the diverse number of academic opportunities at UGA were also factors in my decision.
My favorite things to do on campus are…
to go to Ramsey or find lectures and movies to attend. Getting lost running through the trails at the State Botanical Garden or by the intramural fields is another fun thing to do on campus, especially when the weather cools down in the fall.
When I have free time, I like…
to find concerts and try restaurants, because there is so much going on in the Athens music and food scene. I also like volunteering and relaxing outside.
The craziest thing I’ve done is…
hike a volcano while I was in Costa Rica, only four days after rolling my ankle. It was pretty spur of the moment ,and I walked so much that my legs were trembling when I got back. Though it might not have been the best for my ankle and it was raining the entire time, I wouldn’t trade the view of the sky or the soreness for anything.
My favorite place to study is…
anywhere I can find a quiet place, which is often somewhere on the second floor of the Science Library.
My favorite professor is…
Dr. Anne Marie Zimeri. Along with teaching some of my classes, she is a great adviser who has helped me make decisions for classes and always makes herself available for students who need help. She also is crazy intelligent and fun to talk with.
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with…
Jimmy Carter, because I would be interested in hearing about the Carter Center and his humanitarian and disease eradication efforts.
Talking to my future self is a close second. Even though it might seem strange, I would be interested in seeing what life is like in the future.
If I knew I could not fail, I would…
find a way to provide access to clean drinking water where it is most scarce.
If money was not a consideration, I would love to…
never have to settle in the same place and to help with small-scale community projects dedicated to education and sustainability wherever I went.
After graduation, I plan to…
my path currently is undecided.
The one UGA experience I will always remember will be…
is my Alternative Spring Break trip my freshman year to Fort Myers, Fla. I’m sure anyone who has been on an ASB/IMPACT trip can attest that the trips are tons of fun. Although pulling out weeds and invasive species doesn’t sound very glamorous, doing it with new friends along beautiful beaches and parks in Florida was unforgettable.
