Jessica Hotovy, Ambassador

Why you chose your major

I've always been told to study something you love and so I picked my major because I enjoyed my biological-focused courses within my first couple years. With this major I am able to easily accomplish all of the class necessary for Optometry school yet still am able to have the flexibility to have a multitude of minors.

Favorite course

Field Epidemiology. This class is taken out at the Cedar Point Biological Station. You move out to their cabins and take this hands on lecture and lab with an amazing UNMC professor. The environment is amazing the material covered is interesting and applicable. I would highly recommend this course!

Research or internship experience

I've held both research and a part-time job/internship throughout my college career. For part time job/internship, I have worked at Bethany Vision Clinic, a local Optometry office since August 2016. As far as research experiences, I have been working in Dr. Clayton Cressler's lab since I was a sophomore and then was accepted as an INBRE research scholar going into my junior year. This is a two-year competitive research program where you spend the first summer at UNMC and then are able to continue working in a lab continuously through an NIH funded grant.

Other involvement

I am the current President of both Greek Ambassadors and UNL Pre-Optometry Club. I am a member of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority and Order of Omega Honor Society. I was able to be a recruitment guide for sorority recruitment these past two years. I am an INBRE research scholar, on staff for UNL's Big Event, and also a member of the Union Board. I work as an Optician at Bethany Vision Clinic. I also enjoy intermural basketball and volunteering at Clinic with a Heart.

Why you chose Nebraska

I choose UNL because it was the perfect distance from my home and family where I could still be on my own but easily able to visit when I wanted. UNL was just big enough to offer a magnitude of course options and involvements yet still seemed to embody the small school vibe that I had always grown up with. It has become one of my greatest decisions and I can confidently say I would not have become the person I have without the experiences I was able to have here at UNL.