This week’s campus celebrity is the one and only Jessica Schmidt. This born and raised New Yorker is having the time of her life at the University of Scranton. Her passion for helping people is reflected in how she spends her time, on or off campus. I’m glad to be able to call this girl one of my best friends.
Name: Jessica Schmidt
Major: Counseling and Human Services
Year: Junior
Hometown: Seaford, NY
HC: What are some things you are involved in on campus?
JS: I’m on the swim team, I’m the secretary for the Counseling and Human Services Association, and I volunteered with Big Friends, Little Friends.
HC: And off campus, what do you do?
JS: I’m a “big sister” for Big Brothers, Big Sisters. I just received an internship with Asera Care, which is a hospice center. I haven’t started yet, but I’m really excited to.
HC: What drew you towards your major?
JS: I enjoy helping people and doing service. I like seeing the results of my help for those who need it.
HC: How has swimming impacted your life?
JS: Swimming taught me discipline and good time management skills. I made some of my best friends while being on the swim team here at Scranton.
HC: What’s one of your strongest qualities?
JS: I’m good at taking embarrassing pictures of my friends in their less than shining moments, I’m a great listener, and I try to make people laugh.
HC: What is something you hope to get out of your internship?
JS: I hope to acquire knowledge about this unfamiliar population. I’m just excited because I’ve never really worked with the elderly. In the past, I’ve only worked with children so this experience will be very different.
HC: What’s the most rewarding thing you’ve done at Scranton?
JS: Probably Big Brothers, Big Sisters. I feel like being a role model and parent figure to my little sister is rewarding and will hopefully benefit her as she grows up.
HC: What’s something you hope to achieve before you graduate?
JS: Finally turning 21.
HC: What’s it like living with your best friends off-campus?
JS: Constant shenanigans.
HC: Aside from academics, what are you like on the weekends?
JS: I’m a wild child.
HC: What’s your favorite TV show?
JS: Law and Order SVU