Alumni Spotlight – Jacquelyn Sharpe
Meet Jacquelyn Sharpe, Wake Forest University class of 2019. While at Wake, Jacquelyn received a Richter scholarship and worked in the laboratory of Dr. Guthold, eventually publishing a paper in Nanomaterials. In this interview, Dr. Guthold discusses with Jacquelyn her experiences after graduating and how Wake Physics helped her to get where she is today.
Dr. Guthold: What are you doing now career-wise?
Jacquelyn: Currently, I am working as an English Language Assistant in Colegio Malvar, a charter school in Madrid. I work with my coteachers to help the primary school students improve their English, mostly in speaking and listening.
Dr. Guthold: What did you do right out of Wake Forest?
Jacquelyn: Directly after graduating from Wake Forest, I joined the Peace Corps. I left in August 2019 to go to Tonga. In Tonga, I worked as an English Literacy Facilitator. In this role, I worked with Tongan teachers to provide English teaching to the students.
Dr. Guthold: How did Wake Forest Physics help you get where you are today?
Jacquelyn: I would say that Wake Forest Physics helped me get to where I am today by encouraging new experiences and travel. The summer after my sophomore year I had the chance to travel to Wales with the Richter scholarship. This summer research experience really enriched my Wake Forest physics experience, and that summer and my following semester abroad in Spain ultimately led to my decisions to join the Peace Corps and later return to Spain.
Dr. Guthold: Do you have an anecdote you would care to share either from your time at Wake Forest physics or from afterward relevant to Wake Physics?
Jacquelyn: I have lots of fond memories of my time at Wake Forest and many are from time spent working in Physics labs as an undergraduate researcher. I remember one year a photographer came to take group lab pictures. After taking the normal group photo in front of Olin, we decided to climb one of the trees in front and take some more pictures with us in the branches. It was such a fun, random idea and I still have the picture.
Dr. Guthold: Is there anything you would like to share with prospective or current students?
Jacquelyn: I would say to current students of Wake Forest Physics that it is so important to remember that college is your time. You are away from home and get to try lots of new things academically and otherwise. It is so important to try new classes, hobbies, internships or activities. You get to meet a lot of cool people and you find out what you enjoy. I think Wake Forest does a really good job of offering a wide variety of opportunities- try as many as you can!