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| Therese Jeter |
An aspiring doctor now in her third
year of medical school at St. George’s University in Grenada, West Indies,
Jeter has come a long way since dropping out of school and leaving her family’s
Connecticut home at age 15 in search of something she couldn’t even really
define.
She spent
four years traveling across the United States, visiting 47 states and meeting
people from all walks of life. While living in Atlanta, Ga., in 1997, she
decided to earn her GED (General Education Development) certificate. Later, she moved to Daytona Beach and in 2004
began attending Daytona State. It was here that she found a passion for science
and her purpose in life – to become a medical doctor.
At DSC, Jeter consistently was named
to the President’s List, Dean’s List and Honor’s List. She earned an associate
of arts degree with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.
“The more
I got into science, the more I realized how much I enjoyed learning and that I
was really good at it,” she said.
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During downtime, Jeter likes to work with local
school children. |
Outside the classroom, Jeter was
involved as an officer in a variety of health and community service-related
student clubs. She also volunteered to tutor fellow students in anatomy, physiology,
molecular biology and microbiology. She was a top-notch microbiology lab
assistant under the tutelage of Dr. Ram Nayar, one of Daytona State’s most
experienced and respected science professors. Her work earned her the college’s
Outstanding Performance in Science Award upon graduation in August 2006. She
then attended the University of Central Florida, where she earned her Bachelor
of Science in Molecular Biology and Microbiology.
In 2010, Jeter was awarded the
prestigious Margaret Crumley Award for Distinguished Achievement in Science, an
annual award presented to an outstanding alum of Daytona State’s College of
Science. Award recipients are nominated and selected by science faculty, who
take into consideration the nominee’s past academic performance as well as
evidence of continuing commitment to scientific research and community service.
In presenting the award, the selection committee cited Jeter’s volunteer work
as a counselor at Camp Boggy Creek, a haven for chronically ill children, among
the examples of her commitment to community service.
Today, Jeter
is one step closer to realizing her dream of becoming a cardiovascular surgeon
or pediatrician. Despite the grueling nature of medical school studies, she
still finds time to reach out and help others, particularly children. Recently,
between studying for finals she visited a Grenada elementary school with her
flute and violin to give the students an impromptu music class. “They don’t
hear much live music, much less get to try an instrument themselves,” she said.
“You can imagine how exited they were. Our classroom consisted of some chairs
dragged under a building that was still under construction after being damaged
in 2004 by Hurricane Ivan.”
She believes
this and other life experiences will make her a better doctor.
“All the
things that I’ve picked up along the way molded me into the person I am today,”
she said. “There’s a reason I had all those experiences. I have the drive to
put them to use, to excel in medical school and to become a surgeon. I will be
able to relate well with my patients. Between what I’ve done, the places I’ve
been, and the different people I’ve interacted with, all these experiences I’ve
collected will enable me to be a better doctor.”
