Jessica Azzarano

Current Position: QC Associate at Biocoat

Story Last Updated: Summer 2024

My favorite part about GMercyU truly is the close-knit nature of the classes and the fact that it is almost impossible to become lost in the sea of students. Every professor knew me by name, and I always felt supported and if I needed something they were always there to help.

Journey to GMercyU

In 2017, Jessica Azzarano graduated from Central Bucks South High School. Her brother Joe, who was a student in the Mathematics program, first introduced Jessica to GMercyU.

“The selling point that made me want to attend GMercyU was the E-STEM program and the close-knit aspect of classes and campus in general. Everyone I interacted with was immediately welcoming and I knew with the small class sizes I would be more comfortable and would be able to better connect with the professors in the Biology program,” Jessica said.

Involvement on Campus

Jessica was highly involved in The Student Association of Science (SAS) and was named President of the organization during her sophomore year, holding the position for three years.

“SAS was really important to my time here at GMercyU and allowed me to meet so many people and make so many friends that I otherwise would not have met,” Jessica said.

She was also a member of the E-STEM program during her four years.

“E-STEM was also incredibly important to me, especially having a peer mentor and being able to get advice from other with more experience in the Biology program,” Jessica said.

Jessica worked as a peer tutor for Chemistry, Biology, and Math in the Student Success Center.

Experience in the Biology Program

Jessica graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, which minors in Chemistry, Mathematics, and Microbiology.

I enjoyed the program and made many lifelong friends in the process. The program is rigorous and challenged us as students, but it was all worth it as I gained so much knowledge and experience that will continue to help me in my future as a scientist.

One of Jessica’s favorite classes was Ecology with Dr. Stacey Lettini. The class offered Jessica her first opportunity to engage in a semester long project.

“It was exciting to get to go out to the Trewellyn Creek to collect samples and then work with those samples through the rest of the semester,” Jessica said.

She expressed that Dr. Lettini was always helpful and “kept a relaxed atmosphere that allowed me to gain more confidence in my abilities and become a better student in lab.

Research

During her time at GMercyU, Jessica participated in two research experiences. Her first experience was a month-long research project at GMercyU’s sister school Cabrini University within the SEA-PHAGES program.
Her second opportunity was Microbiology based research with Dr. Lettini. They specifically looked at the antibiotic resistance properties of bacteria identified on fish that reside in the Trewellyn Creek.

“It was the experience I had in Ecology lab that helped me make my decision that I wanted to do Microbiology based research with Dr. Lettini, and it ended up being the research used in my senior thesis,” Jessica said.

Why Attend GMercyU?

“I would recommend GMercyU to a prospective student because they can get one-on-one attention with professors that they might not get at other universities. GMercyU feels more like a family and there is so much support available for students to use throughout their education journey. There is also so much to get involved in and do on campus. Even as a commuter student, I never felt left out and was able to attend so many fun events during my time at Gwynedd,” Jessica said.

Post-Graduation

Since graduating, Jessica has secured a position as the Chemistry Laboratory Assistant at GMercyU.

It means a lot to me that I now get to work with the professors that taught me.

She said the experience that she is gaining in her position will be extremely helpful to her as a scientist and wherever life takes her in the future.

“I have GMercyU to thank for my education, my job, and many friends that I’ve made along the way,” Jessica said.