Jillian Glassett鈥娾�撯�夾n Emerging Leader
By Marya Jones Barlow
Jillian Glassett will never forget the phone call in 2010 that changed her forever.
鈥淲hen President Rush called to tell me that I was a President鈥檚 Scholar, it was one of the proudest moments of my life,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his scholarship allowed me to go to my first-choice school and have a college experience that exceeded my dreams.鈥�
The past three-and-a-half years since that call have been packed with more proud moments. Glassett, now a senior double-majoring in Mathematics and Applied Physics, has discovered her career ambition, emerged as a campus leader, found lifelong friends and mentors, and, as she puts it, 鈥渂ecome a better person.鈥�
The Ramona, Calif., native is one of 19 President鈥檚 Scholars since 2005 to receive the prestigious four-year scholarship. Endowed by the Pierre Claeyssens family, the program covers tuition, money for books, and a laptop computer for academically gifted students. Glassett says being able to focus on her studies, free of financial concerns, has helped her maintain her 3.98 GPA and devote time to being an active and involved member of the CI community. She tutors struggling students in math and physics, serves as secretary of the ASI (Associated Students Inc.) Board at CI, and participates in undergraduate shape analysis research with Mathematics Associate Professor Kathryn Leonard.聽
It hasn鈥檛 come easily to her. Since childhood, she鈥檚 struggled with ADHD, but Glassett says medication, organization and openness with others about her condition have helped her focus and make the symptoms manageable.
鈥淭his is who I am; it鈥檚 part of me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 pretty open about it, but I also try not to use that as an excuse to not get things done. I don鈥檛 want pity or special treatment. I鈥檝e learned to accept these flaws about me and realize that I can bring unique insights because I struggle with overthinking and sweating the details.鈥�
She鈥檚 also busy preparing for the next chapter of her life. Glassett has a list of 10 universities where she鈥檚 applying for Master鈥檚 and Ph.D. programs in Mathematics. Her goal is to become a professor and one day share the 鈥渟imple beauty and logic of math鈥� with students.
鈥淐I has completely shaped the person that I am,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 proud of how far I鈥檝e come, how I鈥檝e changed, and that I have a career goal. But it鈥檚 the late-night talks, the supporting study groups, the trips to Starbucks, the corner in the library where proofs were finished, the leadership retreats, the people I鈥檝e met and the relationships I have with them鈥搕hat鈥檚 what I鈥檒l remember 20 years from now.鈥�