Students
Renee Hartshorn
Renee received her B.S. from Edgewood in 2009, majoring in Biology, Chemistry, and Broad Field Natural Science.
What I'm doing now
I am currently a veterinary student at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, and the president of the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Dental Society at Tufts (Tufts Dental Club). My interests include cardiology and dentistry and I plan on pursuing a residency in one of these areas after graduation. I am also working on research on Digital Dermatitis in dairy cattle through the University of Wisconsin.
How I decided on my majors
After graduating from high school I became certified as an equine sports massage therapist and worked for three years before deciding that I wanted to become a veterinarian. With vet school as my aim, I chose majors that covered the prerequisite courses that I would need.
The most important Edgewood experiences that have helped me since graduation
Public speaking. Hands down. The opportunity to gain experience in public speaking, both in class and through extracurricular activities, has been one of the most valuable experiences that I had at Edgewood.
How a liberal arts education has influenced my outlook
I am so glad that I chose a liberal arts education. It has given me a variety of tools and viewpoints with which to approach problems and to analyze new ideas. I believe that I am better prepared for the variety of challenges in life, having had the opportunity to broaden my understanding of the world through a liberal arts education.
Advice to current undergraduates to make the most of their educational opportunities at Edgewood
Four years is a short time in the grand scheme of things – commit yourself to making the most of these four years. Every ounce of effort you put into your education now will pay off a hundred fold in the future. Your education is the foundation that the rest of your life will be built upon. Make it a strong one.
What students can do outside the classroom to prepare for their careers
Don't just take every opportunity that comes your way; go out and find those opportunities. If you can't find the opportunity you're looking for, make it! You want to be able to look back on your undergraduate career with satisfaction, knowing that you did everything you could to prepare yourself for life after school. It's a tough job market and most employers aren't going to ask you what your grades were – it's those extra experiences on your resumé that will set you apart from the crowd.
Everything you do now is an investment in yourself and your future. Take these four years and make the most of them.
Katie Wendt
Katie Wendt graduated from Edgewood in May 2012, with a B.S. in Criminal Justice.
What I'm doing now
I am currently a volunteer for Nuestros Pequeños
Hermanos ("Our Little Brothers and Sisters"), in a
small town outside Antigua, Guatemala. The mission of
NPH Guatemala is to provide a permanent family and
home for approximately 360 orphaned or abandoned
children, focused on the values of unconditional love,
shared responsibility and education.
As a "Special Education Individual," I work with 20
children ranging in age from 3 to 25 with a variety of
special needs, from autism to cerebral palsy. My role as
a therapist is to foster independent living skills through
individual sessions. I also serve as a special education
teacher ensuring that the children learn the educational
content appropriate to their cognitive levels.
Deciding on my major
After changing majors many times, I became drawn to the sociology world. I knew I ultimately wanted to work with other people and it was my Juvenile Delinquency class where the Criminal Justice major became a reality. After I explored more classes, such as Theories of Deviance, and Violence and Victimization, I knew I was on the right path.
So many individuals think that the Criminal Justice major trains you to become a police officer, and it is so much more than that. I became interested in exploring and analyzing serious issues such as balancing the rights of victims and offenders, society's role in creating and defining deviance, violence and victimization, connections between gender and violence, criminological theories, legal theories and much more.
Applying classroom learning to my internship
My internship was at the Dane County Juvenile Detention Center. I was able to compare what I had learned in my classes to what I was seeing and experiencing from the youth in the Detention Center. The experience was rich because I was no longer reading statistics, stories or articles. Instead, I had a direct experience with the Juvenile Justice system, juvenile crime, influences, and reactions to delinquency.
I was also able to conduct my senior seminar research project at the Dane County Juvenile Detention Center based on the Self-Control, Anomie, and Social Learning theories. Research was conducted with 20 youths from the Dane Country Juvenile Detention Center by giving surveys to the juveniles. This research project explored which criminological theory offered the best explanation for juvenile crime.
The most important learning and experiences I had at Edgewood that have helped me since graduating
From my education and experiences at Edgewood College I have learned that I am most passionate about advocacy for persons who are unable to advocate for themselves. In addition, I had the opportunity to educate others about independence, patience, and capabilities of persons with disabilities.
I have worked with many organizations such as the Edgewood College Cutting-Edge Program, United Cerebral Palsy, and IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self -Direct). Through these organizations, I have helped my clients become more independent due to the confidence they built and education they gained from our experiences together. Today, I am working in Guatemala with Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos and I am able to share the same knowledge.
What students can do outside the classroom to prepare for their careers
Take advantage of internships, volunteer opportunities and start networking! It is the real hands-on experiences that make you stand out, and it is those experiences that will allow you to meet your potential employers.
About a liberal arts education
My liberal arts education has provided me with the tools for understanding. It has given me the foundation to comprehend new ideas, opinions, beliefs, and values. More importantly, it has given me the ability to appreciate and accept other cultures without trying to change them.
Andrew Handorf
Andrew received
his B.S. from
Edgewood in
2007, majoring in Biology and Chemistry.
What I'm doing now
I'm pursuing my Ph.D. in Biomedical
Engineering at UW-Madison. My research is
focused on growing cartilage from
mesenchymal stem cells, an adult stem cell
population found at several locations
throughout our bodies. The primary goal of
my research is to improve the quality of
cartilage produced from this stem cell
population, as these cells have an inherent
tendency to produce bone instead of cartilage.
How I decided on my majors
I began as a Chemistry major because through the Chemistry AP Exam in high school, I tested out of an entire year of Chemistry. I always liked Chemistry, but over time, I realized I was a bit more passionate about Biology, so I decided to get a second major in Biology. I'd definitely say the majors complemented each other nicely, especially for what I'm doing right now.
The most important Edgewood experiences that have helped me since graduation
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to play baseball at Edgewood in addition to getting a college education, and from this experience, I began to understand the importance of having a balanced lifestyle. I never really understood this fully while at Edgewood, but figuring out how to have a balanced lifestyle is one of the most important things that anyone in any field could do. If you put all your effort into any one thing at the expense of all other things, I think you'll find that you're living a pretty meaningless life. Above all else, always make time for family and fun.
Advice to current undergraduates to make the most of their educational opportunities at Edgewood
I think it's always important at every stage of life to meet as many people as you can. You never know how those connections could randomly help you later in life. Also, I think it's important to take advantage of every opportunity you're presented with. The great thing about Edgewood is that you get to know your professors, and those professors will often give you opportunities to get involved. Even if you have no interest, I think you should accept the opportunity and worry about whether you like it or not later.
Aside from that, the most important thing you can ever do is your best. Your college experience is all about what you make of it. If you embrace it and give it your best effort, you're going to get a lot out of your college experience.
What students can do outside the classroom to prepare for their careers
Get involved. The more involved you get, the more people you'll meet, and who knows how those connections could help you later in life. Also, those activities will shape your perspective on life. I think you'll find that getting involved will make you a more interesting person to talk to in random conversations, which could lead to job opportunities, and more.
19 student ADDY winners
Feb. 1, 2013—Nineteen Edgewood college students have won ADDY awards for 2012-13. This is a new record for the College. We don't yet know how many total awards we will receive or in what categories they fall. We'll find that out at the awards show in two weeks.
The ADDY awards are at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, February 15th at Union South.
Link to the event:
http://www.aafmadison.org/