Jessica Schlottman, a UNT pre-med biology major graduating this fall, recently gave to the College of Science's Students Helping Students campaign. The campaign allows students to honor their time at UNT by giving back for those following in their footsteps. To students like Jessica, it's meaningful to contribute to the futures of fellow math and science students at UNT.
"It feels good to help others, especially when you give money to a worthy cause like Students Helping Students," said Jessica. "Donating was meaningful to me, a chance to show my support to other College of Science students trying to make it to the finish line. Receiving the special philanthropy graduation cord was an honor, and I will wear it with pride on graduation day!"
For Jessica, who is not only majoring in biology but also minoring in chemistry, helping others has become second nature during her time at UNT. A few years ago she got involved with disability activism, which inspired her to create a UNT organization called Someone Like Me, which aims to represent, raise awareness and advocate for the legitimacy of invisible disabilities.
"Now there are over 400 members nationwide that represent all disabilities under one roof, like one giant family," said Jessica. "We talk about anxiety, sleep issues, chronic pain, GI problems, morning stiffness, etc. and exchange helpful information about specialists, medical procedures, coping tools, service animals, and more."
Someone Like Me also advocates for inclusion and equal access, as well as educating people about the meaning behind the words they use when referring to the disability community.
"Without knowing it at the time, being a part of this community gave me a chance to observe and learn about all kinds of disabilities up close and in-depth," said Jessica. "Without a doubt, this has been the most rewarding experience in my life."
Because of her advocacy work and volunteer hours with various community service projects, Jessica was selected to be a Terry Scholar, which earned her a full scholarship that covered tuition, meal plans, housing, textbooks, and other educational expenses for four years. She originally chose UNT because of its rankings as a Teir 1 Research University, known for its STEM education and pre-med programs.
"Touring UNT was a great way to see everything they had to offer and so much more. I was able to visit the College of Science buildings, as well as meet some of the science advisors and participate in a few sessions that revealed the coursework required to complete their pre-medical program," she said. "Without a doubt, I believed that UNT would give me the support I needed to pursue medical school with confidence."
Jessica said one of the most challenging aspects of her time at UNT was finding the time to enjoy college life and all UNT has to offer with a packed schedule of twelve to sixteen credit hours every semester.
"UNT generously hosts every kind of activity you can think of, but when you are a pre-med student, there are sometimes not enough hours in the day to do both. I juggle pre-med classes and advanced science electives that keep me very busy with projects, homework, and studying for tests," she said. "Living on campus has been the solution for me. It has definitely made it easier for me to participate in events on the fly!"
After graduation, Jessica plans to apply for medical school. "I have already accepted internships with two physicians and plan to work until I start school," she said. "In addition, I will continue to volunteer for the organizations I love, as well as continue to oversee Someone Like Me."
Learn more about Students Helping Students and give back today at: https://cos.unt.edu/shs