Jessen named December Project Strive/TRiO Student of the Month

“I wanted to be able to experience life outside of the area I grew up in,” Jessen said, “and I was going to have to travel no matter where I went for school because of Herald’s location, so I wanted to push myself to get out and get a new experience.”

Jessen, who has been an Opinion Editor for The Eagle for two years, is a Human Biology major with plans in entering the field of medicine, something she said she has been set on since the beginning of high school.

At CSC, Jessen has found an interest in cardiology which she believes may have started when she was younger when she attended cardiology appointments with her family.

“While my family never pushed me to go into cardiology, they definitely had an influence on my decision,” Jessen said. “Heart issues run in my family, so I attended a lot of those appointments and enjoyed seeing how the medical staff interacted with and handled some of the more challenging people like my stubborn grandpa. I think that’s when I really got interested in it.”

One of Jessen’s favorite things about CSC was the academic rigor of the science classes her major required her to take.

“I can’t lie, my science classes were stressful,” Jessen said, “but I appreciate the knowledge I gained from the challenge of them.

“I think medical school is going to be a little stressful, but I look forward to the challenge,” Jessen said. “I know that if I can get into medical school, I can keep going. The whole journey of entering the medical world is a challenge I look forward to facing,” she said.

Jessen is grateful for the help and support Project Strive has provided her.

“Project Strive has a really great support system,” Jessen said. “They put on a lot of really cool de-stressing events that I’ve found to be very helpful.”

Amanda Lewin, Retention Specialist for Project Strive, appreciates Jessen’s conscientious habits.

“It is a pleasure to recognize Velvet as student of the month,” said Lewin. “She is very responsible and consistently puts forth her best effort to succeed academically.”

Lewin has enjoyed getting to know Jessen further through her work in The Eagle and thinks her personality will make her a great physician.

“We have gotten to know Velvet’s witty humor through interactions at events and her opinion columns in the Eagle Newspaper,” Lewin said. She has the ability to organize thoughts and communicate them clearly, and with her gentle, empathetic nature, she will make a great physician.”

Physical and Life Sciences Professor Joyce Hardy also takes note of Jessen’s responsibility and positive attitude.

“Velvet is an amazing person,” Hardy said. “She assumes responsibility and picks up that load without complaint, as seen in her balancing of serving as a major contributor to the student newspaper each week while consistently giving quality performance in her challenging academic career.”

As one of Jessen’s professors, Hardy is familiar with her work in her science classes and pleased with her ability to address certain topics in her opinion pieces.

“She is pursuing an ultimate degree in cardiology, which has a challenging requirement of pre-requisite science courses, and Velvet comes to class prepared and quietly does quality work, both individually and within a learning team,” Hardy said. “In her journalism, Velvet addresses difficult topics with a balanced view, yet she does not shy from presenting an unpopular opinion balanced with evidence to support her stance.”

Hardy feels that Jessen’s qualities will contribute positively to her future.

“Her integrity, ability to consider different opinions on difficult topics, respect of others, commitment to quality learning, and effectiveness within a team will serve her well as a cardiologist,” Hardy said. “I look forward to celebrating with her when that becomes a reality.”

Chadron State College’s Project Strive/TRiO program, located in the lower level of the King Library, is an academic enrichment program committed to help students succeed. Project Strive also focuses on career exploration, cultural and social enrichment and self-awareness. To be eligible for the program, a student must be one of the following: A first generation student where neither parent has a four-year degree, meet low income status based on U.S. Department of Health and Human Services criteria, or have a documented disability. For more information, visit https://www.csc.edu/projectstrive/.