Meet Gianna Jessup, a Graduate College Fellow and masters student in the Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs program. Read on to learn more about Gianna's favorite places in Kent, what she enjoys doing in her free time and what advice she has for incoming graduate students.
Where is your hometown?
I am from North Huntingdon, PA.
Why did you choose Kent State University?
I came to Kent State for my bachelor’s degree originally because of the Air Force ROTC program. After a year, I decided that wasn’t the career path for me. I stayed at Kent State for graduate school because of the community I have here. I have wonderful relationships with faculty and staff members, who inspired me to go into the Higher Education field.
What do you like most about living in/near Kent? Do you have a favorite local spot or activity?
I really enjoy that Kent is (mostly) a college town. I love that it’s a walkable town and there’s always festivals downtown. My favorite spot is under the bridge by the river downtown and Zephyr for Drag Shows.
What is your favorite KSU memory?
My favorite memory is the carnival on the K in the spring.
What are some differences you've noticed in being a graduate student (expectations, pressures, visibility, etc.) than those of an undergraduate student?
For my degree, we do a lot more writing. I normally hate writing but in grad school, all of the essays are about things I am passionate about. I really enjoy that the class sizes are smaller. It’s much easier to build relationships with the faculty. The professors are really dedicated to the students.
What advice do you have for incoming graduate students?
It’s not as scary as everyone says! I have a significantly higher GPA in grad school than undergrad. In the first few weeks I definitely felt the imposter syndrome and thought my classmates were a lot smarter than me, turns out almost everyone was thinking that too.
Fun Fact ¿ìè¶ÌÊÓƵ Me:
I love going to concerts and music festivals!