My name is Jessica N. Hathaway and I am pursing my Bachelors Degree at Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Education and mathematics have always been a passion of mine. If some one asked me today, why do I enjoy Math education I could tell them that it started when I was in grade school? When I entered school at an early age I have always wanted to teach in education. But it wasn’t until my senior year that I wanted to get more involved in mathematics and education.

During my freshmen year of college at Elizabeth City State University, I have learned and grown just from all the influential professors and teachers that I have had through the year. During the school year I participated in the Center of Excellence in Remote Sensing Education and Research (CERSER) Academia year program. During this program my goal were to acquire all the skills that I will need for future internships, research experiences and future careers that I will have along the way.

During the CERSER program I was a member of the Education Team. The project that we worked on was about how the Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) summer research program impacted student’s choice of a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related major in college. Along with working with the team and our mentor Dr. Darnell Jonson. The title of the research was The Impact of 2006-2012 CReSIS Summer Research Programs that Influence Student's Choice of a STEM Related Major in College. The education team compiled data that was sent out in the form of survey sheets, and received many responses from students from the past that were in the program. This project was not only informative but helped remind myself of the times I was in the same programs in the summers of 2007 and 2008.

My first summer internship was the Watershed Watch at the campus of ECSU. During this internship I learned so much and had experience I never imagine that I would have done before. During this internship my mentor was Dr. Annette Schloss from University of New Hampshire, along with the help of Dr. Barrette Rock. The project was on the effects of campus development affects forest growth. During the project we found that many of the trees were greatly affected.

Then later on after the Watershed Watch, I completed the Research Experience for Undergraduates in Ocean, Marine, and Polar Science (REU). During this summer internship, I worked with Dr. Darnell Johnson, along with the Research Experience for Teachers Team (RET). The team collected data, along with the data from the 2012 team, to use testing in the common core to see what seventh graders knew on the pre and posttests. The title of the project was Using Common Core State Standards of Seventh Grade Mathematics in the Application of NXT LEGO® Robotics for CReSIS Middle School Students. With the pre test, the team did not give the students any instruction, after that the team gave instruction to the middle school students then gave the posttest. This prove to help students have a better understanding of the content.

As a student of the ECSU campus I feel great full for all the opportunities that I have in front of me to learn and grow from. Though I am currently an up rising sophomore with much more to learn, I will not let my dreams and ideas come short. I will strive to continue my education once I have my bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a concentration in mathematics. By far my education will not stop there; I will continue my education because with learning it’s continuous. My goal is to continue my education after getting my PhD. being that the highest degree; I will then spread what I have learned to others. Because knowledge is power, and spreading knowledge is wise.