Student Voices

Jamie Hamill, right, stands with her roommate in front of a volcano they hiked on a J-Term trip to Nicaragua.

Jamie Hamill, ‘11

Majors: Neuroscience and Psychology
Minor: Spanish
Hometown: Kenosha, Wis.

When Jamie Hamill was a senior in high school, she visited the Carthage campus and saw the neuroscience lab.

"I remember wanting to be able to work in there ever since," she says. "I have always been interested in psychology and other sciences like biology and chemistry. Neuroscience is an excellent way to unite all of my interests into one major."

Now that she’s a student here, she's fulfilled her goal of working in the lab. All neuroscience students at Carthage have many opportunities to work on significant research projects with faculty members.

"I think the department's strength is that they are able to provide the undergraduate student with experience in research projects that are typically only available at a graduate level," Jamie says. "This is great for students who need that edge to get into grad schools in the future."

Favorite professor: "I have had Dan Miller for two of my neuro classes so far, and I really appreciate his passion for his work and also how he teaches the subject in a laidback and approachable manner, no matter how difficult the topic may be."

Favorite class: "My favorite class so far would have to be Intro to Neuroscience because that class has provided me with a great base of neuroscience knowledge to build on in all of my following classes. To this day, I still refer back to my notes from this class to help get back to the basics when a new topic is difficult."

Toughest class: "Research in Neuroscience Methods because learning new skills in the rat lab, like surgeries and brain histology, was a completely new experience outside of the traditional classroom."

Opportunities at Carthage? "In my research in neuroscience class, we were able to be a part of an ongoing study involving post-traumatic stress disorder and the amygdala, which is a very relevant area of research, since there are so many soldiers coming back from the war," Jamie says. "Also, last January, I went on the Nicaragua J-Term trip. It was a geography and biology symposium course in which we were able to do amazing activities like climbing the Maderas volcano, and shadowing Nicaraguan doctors as they practiced medicine in very rural areas."

Favorite moments at Carthage: "I would say some of my favorite moments happened while I was in Nicaragua. Reaching the bottom of the volcano after an eight-hour hike up and then back down was an amazing experience. I can remember how great all of us students felt as we conquered that volcano. We were covered in mud to our thighs and absolutely drained, but you couldn't wipe the smiles off our faces if you tried.

"Also, in one particular clinic in Nicaragua, I was so moved by the selflessness and efforts of Dr. Sandra. She was an amazing woman, and through her I learned and observed the meaningful connection that a doctor can have with their patients."

Favorite spot on campus: "My favorite spot on campus is when you are walking down Campus Drive and you can turn to the east and see the huge expanse of beautiful blue water while walking past all of the beautiful flowers in front of all the buildings."

Biggest surprises so far: "How many opportunities there are to meet new people, join clubs and broaden your ideas at college. You hear about it before you come, but it doesn't really sink in that you have so many paths to take until you're here."

Advice for students considering neuroscience: "Keep an open mind when pursuing neuroscience because there are so many different paths to take in this major, and you should definitely try your hand at all of them before you totally set your mind on one. Also, you should take advantage of all of the great research opportunities that present themselves because they are great for graduate schools."

Student Voices

Jamie Hamill, '11

"Toughest class? Research in Neuroscience Methods, learning new skills in the rat lab, like surgeries and brain histology." Read more.

Courtney Snelten, '10

"Neuroscience is perfect for me. ... I am fascinated by the brain and its capacity for so many things. Read more.

Dana Watt, '10

"Favorite professor? Dan Miller. He truly believes in his students, and is brilliant (and hilarious) to boot." Read more.

Holly Sikora, '10

"I loved all the hands-on experiences we had using various neuroscience techniques, including surgery, behavioral data collection, euthanasia and histology. There were some weeks that I chose to attend more than my required lab section because I found the laboratory time very enjoyable." Read more.

David Reis, '10

This fall, David and his research partner will have the opportunity to attend a professional neuroscience conference and present their research in Vermont. Read more