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Alisha Jones

I love the fact that [as an undergrad], I have my hands in something people usually don't get to do until they're working on a doctorate or master's degree.     

What the Miami Experience means to me

As a freshman, I did not do well in my first chemistry class. I remember going to my professor's office hours the day before an exam. She yelled at me, telling me that I would never have approached a track meet that way, waiting until the last minute to train like I had waited until the last minute to study. I didn't do so hot on that exam, and I realized she was right. I retook the class and got an A.

Since then I've been a much better student, and the chemistry faculty has been very supportive of me. They encouraged me to become a Supplemental Instructor, or SI. I meet with students who are taking general chemistry and re-teach them the lecture. When I'm with them I think, “How did I teach it to myself so I could understand it?”

I'm also a chemistry scholars mentor, which is similar to being an SI except it's for minority undergraduates. One of the happiest moments for me is when a student sends me an email, saying, "I've never gotten an A on a chemistry test before!" I take a lot of pride in that, and it's one reason why I want to get my Ph.D. and become a professor.

I also do research in one of the biochemistry labs on campus. Currently, I'm researching Cyanobacteria and trying to figure out the 3-D structure of one of its proteins. I've also helped out on research involving pancreatic cancer, black plague, and yeast infections. I love taking what I've learned in the classroom and applying it in the lab. I also love the fact that I have my hands in something that people usually don't get to have their hands in until they're working on a doctorate or master's degree.

I'm close to the whole chemistry faculty, but especially to Dr. Andy Sommer. My parents have met him. I've been invited to his house for dinner. He's always been there for me, listened whenever I had a problem, and pushed me to do better.



My Fact Sheet

Major: Chemistry, Zoology
Hometown: Toledo, Ohio
Miami Activities: Women's Track and Field; Supplemental Instructor; Chemistry Scholars Mentor; Zeta Phi Beta (sorority); Resident Assistant: Scott Hall; College of Arts and Science Representative; Connection Coach; Miami Chemical Society; American Chemical Society; National Science Foundation Undergraduate Research and Mentoring Scholarship Program; National Pan Hellenic Council

My Inside Guide

  • I love to eat breakfast at Erickson Dining Hall because they have the best Texas French toast that mankind has to offer. Off campus, I like to eat pineapple-fried rice at Phan Shin. For fun, I like to go to AfterDark, a program at Shriver Center where, among other things, you can watch first-run movies and get free popcorn. I also like to go uptown to Brick Street Bar and go dancing.

  • Choosing Miami

    The track coach at Cornell University was recruiting me, but in the end, he picked someone else. I was devastated, but my mom convinced me to come to Miami. At first I wasn't happy, but I came to love it here. I honestly think I wouldn't have had the same experiences here that I've had at any other place. The support and encouragement I've gotten from my professors has been amazing.

  • Connecting

    I have a diverse group of friends from the varied aspects of my life. I spend a lot of time with my track teammates—we travel every weekend from December until June—and when I need a break from them, I turn to my sorority sisters or my chemistry friends. Sometimes I bring together all three groups. I'm also a residence hall adviser, so I do things with my girls like going to the Rec Center to work out or getting together to watch Grey’s Anatomy.