Jump Start College student reveals new career interests

Devoting two years to Western Nevada College’s Jump Start program while attending high school has given Abby Lunderstadt the opportunity to start college early, and possibility change her career path.

Through Churchill County High School’s participation in the Jump Start College program, Lunderstadt will graduate from WNC with an Associate of Science degree before she receives her high school diploma.

“It is unreal that I am graduating high school, let alone high school and college,” Lunderstadt said. “High school has gone by so fast, but it will be nice to have all my prerequisites done for college.”

When taking a biology class this spring, the content sparked an interest in studying viruses and parasites. Consequently, Lunderstadt is pondering majoring in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Nevada, Reno in the fall.

“My major is up in the air right now,” she said. “A week ago, I would have told you that I am majoring in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, but my biology class brought up some new interests.”

No matter which career path she chooses, Lunderstadt is confident that it will be the right one.

“With a Wildlife Ecology degree, I could work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, BLM, or any state or national park,” she said. “With an MMI degree, I could work for the Center of Disease Control, World Health Organization or other health-related job.”

By getting a jump start on her college education, Lunderstadt thinks she is prepared for the educational demands at UNR.

“I know it will be very different; different setting, class sizes, professors, schedule, etc., but I have learned the basics that will help a lot in the future,” she said. “I have learned good study habits, and that I need to study, time management, and to participate in class, answering and asking questions.”

As her Jump Start classes have become more challenging, Lunderstadt has learned a valuable lesson about the effort and quality of work that is expected in college.

“The most difficult thing was the quality of work that the professor expected,” Lunderstadt said. “In some of my high school classes, I could do homework the night before it was due and get away with not putting my best effort in. I did not know the full potential of what I could do and the quality that I could do it with. The college course professors and my T.A. really pushed and challenged me to do my best work.

The amount of reading was also difficult for me. Each class had at least one book that we were supposed to read from every day,” Lunderstadt said.

“Taking the college courses showed me that working hard, studying long hours in groups or by myself, asking questions, and being an active student in and out of class will pay off,” she said.

The affordability of Jump Start means that Lunderstadt won’t be financially strapped entering UNR in the fall. During her junior year at Churchill County, the school district paid half of Lunderstadt’s cost of attending WNC, leaving her to pay $1,000. In year two, Lunderstadt didn’t pay for tuition and books.

“It is important that the cost was lower,” Lunderstadt said. “It saved our family a lot of money, as I have a brother that will also be in college at the same time as me.