I am an only child. Quite an anomaly here at Hillsdale College, but I would not change anything about my childhood. Blessed to grow up with two loving, supportive parents in a suburb of Minneapolis, I attended private Christian schools and spent hours upon hours dancing competitively with a dance studio near my home. Since attending Hillsdale, I have enjoyed performing with the modern dance company, taking up a leadership position in Pi Beta Phi, and staying involved with Hillsdale Christian Fellowship and several academic honoraries.

When looking for colleges, I never saw myself traveling far from home, but a campus visit and learning what Hillsdale had to offer quickly changed my mind. Hillsdale is a perfect fit for my personality and interests. I was looking for a smaller school, a comfortable atmosphere, and a strong science program. Hillsdale offered me this and more. Not only the rigorous science courses I needed, but also challenging core classes that would stretch me in all areas of study as well as the opportunity to continue dancing.

Cliché as it may sound, the best part of Hillsdale is the people. The relationships I have built with friends, professors, and sorority sisters alike will be hard to forget. These people have taught me the importance of quality communication, sincere friendship, and perseverance. It is impossible to walk from class to class and not smile and say hello to several familiar faces along the way. Little things like friendly faces, smiles, and professors who care enough to truly know you make Hillsdale one of the best places I have ever experienced.

I recently applied to veterinary school and hope to be accepted to the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine. I have had it in mind to become a veterinarian since the fifth grade, so we will see what happens and what God has in store! I am interested in zoo medicine and overseas veterinary missions work. Someday I would love to teach, either as a practiced veterinarian returning to academia or by attending graduate school to become a professor of biology. Of course, someday, I aspire to be a loving wife and mother. I hope my family will be an example to society of the impact and importance of traditional marriage and family.

This past summer, I had the opportunity to represent Hillsdale as a pre-veterinary intern at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska. I spent six amazing weeks working with the veterinary staff and zookeepers and had the opportunity to assist with exams, observe surgeries, and experience the everyday life of zoo medicine. The internship reaffirmed my interest in veterinary medicine and gave me a new passion for zoo medicine. I was constantly learning and being pushed to try new things from taking heart rates to castrating gaur! It was a unique privilege to work with the veterinary staff as an undergraduate student, and Hillsdale played a large role in making that possible.

My favorite professor story began my sophomore year when I registered for an upper level developmental biology course. I heard rumors about the rigor of the course, and I quickly realized the rumors were true. Lectures moved quickly and substantial amounts of information needed to be digested during each class. Quickly overwhelmed, I decided to approach the professor, Dr. Robert Miller, for advice. He graciously expressed his confidence in my ability to do well, told me to relax, and encouraged me to work diligently. The result: I was one of the top students in the class simply because I could not imagine letting my professor down! That experience gave me a new level of self-confidence and taught me to stay optimistic and devote the work necessary for success. I will never forget Dr. Miller’s faith in me. It certainly made a lasting impression.

Hillsdale’s core curriculum has given me practical knowledge in literature, history, economics, politics, leadership, religion, and, of course, the sciences. I am certainly not an expert in all these areas of study, but I greatly appreciate the challenge of gaining a basic understanding in areas of study outside my major. I have learned to write, present to a group, and form my own ideas based on facts from original source documents. These things will serve me well in life no matter where I find myself in the future.

jmiller1@hillsdale.edu