Student plans wedding during hectic year of classes, work and volunteer activities
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| Savannah Schoelman |
She may be only 22, but Savannah Schoelman gets more done in a day than some people do in a week.
A double major in biology and psychology, she also works part time at University of Houston-Victoria Student Solutions, is the vice president of the Student Senate and was a student ambassador at freshman orientation sessions during the summer.
As if that wasn't enough, she is planning her wedding and is providing moral support to her mom, who is battling breast cancer.
"It's been a very hectic year," she said as she laughed. "Luckily, my fiance helps me balance everything, and I work out every day, which helps work out frustration."
Working hard is nothing new to Schoelman, however. After attending El Campo High School, where she played several sports, Schoelman received a volleyball scholarship to Wharton County Junior College. Two years later, with her associate degree in hand, she transferred to UHV. Not even a 2008 diagnoses of degenerative disc disease slowed her down, despite six months of physical therapy.
"It's just one of those things where you push through it and keep going," she said.
It also helps that she loves what she does.
"Working at Student Solutions, I've loved every second of it so far," she said. "I've helped people I never thought I could help. As a student worker, I answer phones, answer general questions from students, pretty much work as a one-stop shop for anyone who has a question. I also definitely enjoy making the transition for incoming freshmen as easy as possible."
So just what does the future hold for Schoelman? Well, she's not actually sure. A longtime animal lover and rodeo enthusiast, she was inspired to pursue both her majors by two professors at her junior college, she said. With multiple interests, Schoelman is taking her time to explore all her options before she graduates in May.
"I'm still undecided," she said. "For a long time, I wanted to work in a veterinarian office, and I also want to get my teaching certificate when I graduate and teach high school biology."
The UHV Outstanding Student is an online feature highlighting the exceptional students who attend the University of Houston-Victoria. To nominate a student, contact UHV Communications Manager Paula Cobler or call 361-570-4350.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
