Jessica Sideways

The Dean’s List feature is our way of highlighting some of the extraordinary students in the Treehouse community and sharing with the world people who are passionate about learning, bettering themselves and making a difference.

This edition of the Dean’s List features 26-year-old web designer and developer Jessica Sideways. In his feature, Jessica talks about what initially drew her to career in the web industry, how she has progressed and how she keeps herself inspired.

What drew you to the web industry?

Well, in 1998 I saw that my grandmother created a webpage on Geocities and my interest was piqued because it was a way for me to create in a very competent way. So, I picked up a book on HTML3 and started from there.

What was the first project you worked on, and how have you built your portfolio from there?

Actually, I’m finishing up my first professional project and it’s a site for a videographer. It has challenged me in a variety of ways and made me think of WordPress is a very different way, and while it has been an incredibly tough project to work on, it has also been incredibly rewarding.

Tell us a little about the work you’re doing now.

Currently, I am doing an internship with BYOU Magazine and I am currently working on making their website look better and be much more actionable.

How has learning with Treehouse helped get you to where you are now?

It has helped me to get my CSS3 & JavaScript knowledge together and now, I am looking to exercise these skills and work on interesting CSS3 animations and JavaScript interactivity. Also, I understand a lot more about the business side of web design thanks to Dan & Pasan’s awesome business courses.

What are your top three resources to keep you inspired?

The top three resources that I use the most are Codrops, Web Designer Depot and the Web Design Ledger.

Since you joined Treehouse you’ve worked through projects at an impressive and rapid pace. What advice would you give Treehouse students who are just starting out?

My recommendation is to go in as deep as you can. It is true that the Foundations courses can be a bit dry, so that’s all the more reason to complete the project-based courses first. It took me a while to chip my way through JavaScript and CSS Foundations.

Is there anything else you would like to share with the community?

I came here when I was a student at the Art Institute of Colorado and it continues to intrigue me that I’m getting much better instruction on the web and how to best leverage all the awesome technologies to design websites on Treehouse than I ever did at the Art Institute. Treehouse and similar sites will save you a lot of money.

We would like to say a huge thank you to Jessica for sharing her experience, and for being such a great Treehouse student and valuable member of the community. Keep up the fantastic work.

The post Dean’s List: Jessica Sideways appeared first on Treehouse Blog.

The Biomedical Sciences Graduate Programs Preview Weekend is a unique visit to the University of Minnesota campus for prospective graduate students interested in one or more of the following Ph.D. programs:

• Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Biophysics (BMBB)
• Integrative Biology & Physiology (IBP)
• Microbiology, Immunology & Cancer Biology (MICaB)
• Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology & Genetics (MCDB&G)
• Neuroscience (NSCI)
• Pharmacology (PHCL).

When will the Preview take place?
Thursday, September 25 - Saturday, September 28, 2014

Who is eligible to attend?
Those who will be invited to the Preview must be US citizens or permanent residents who will be applying for entry into graduate school in Fall of 2015. The program is most interested in students enrolled at institutions outside the upper midwest who may be unfamiliar with the outstanding training environment provided by the University of Minnesota. Students from under-represented racial and ethnic groups, low-income family backgrounds, first-generation U.S. citizens, and students with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply.

What are the benefits of attending?
The Preview activities will provide opportunities for students to meet informally with the directors of graduate study, faculty and current graduate students of the six biomedical sciences doctoral programs. There will be tours of campus that will let students gain a feel for the research and laboratory environments where they would work. There will be time for the attendees to learn about the graduate programs so that they can decide which one might best meet their career goals and interests. There will also be activities to introduce you to the quality of life in the metropolitan area of Minneapolis - St. Paul. Any participants who apply to one of the biomedical sciences graduate programs will have their application fee paid. If you are selected to attend, pending the availability of funds and the results of your GRE scores, you will also be invited to participate in the admission interview weekend for the program or programs you apply to.

What is the Cost to Attend?
Visit expenses (including airfare, lodging, and on-campus meals) are provided for those who are selected to attend. We expect to invite 15 students to attend the Preview.

Application & Selection Timeframe
The online application is open and invitations will be made in the summer of 2014.

Here in the Office of Alumni Relations, we spend a lot of time telling stories about and talking with our wonderfully supportive alums. However, we’ve decided to turn the tables and take time to get to know the people behind the scenes – the  advancement and alumni relations staff members who are hard at work on behalf of our alumni.  Today we’ll be hearing from Jenny O’Grady, the Director of Marketing and Associate Editor of UMBC Magazine.

Name: Jenny O’Grady
Job Title: Director of Marketing and Associate Editor, UMBC Magazine
Focus Area: I oversee marketing communications related to Alumni Relations, Development and Undergraduate/Graduate Admissions (and assorted other clients), and I work with our editor on the magazine. I love being able to write about UMBC in so many ways.
Years at UMBC: It’ll be nine in March.
Grad year: To my shame, I am not a UMBC alumna. (I went to Goucher for undergrad, and to the University of Baltimore for my MFA.)

Q: Where are you from originally?

A: A farm in Preston, Maryland on our state’s beautiful Eastern Shore.

Q: What do you love most about UMBC?

A: The people and the ideas. UMBC is like a little city with a million wonderful things happening at any given moment.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about your job?

A: I love the people here, especially my co-workers. Everyone’s so smart and creative. We have fun, and that makes the work a joy.

Q: What do you most look forward to on any given workday?

A: I love any chance to walk around campus, even though when I do I’m often running late for a meeting somewhere!

Q: Have you ever done anything crazy or out of the ordinary?

A: I’ve eaten insects on several different occasions. Long story.

Q: What’s the most recent book you’ve read?

A: I just finished Wild by Cheryl Strayed. I don’t usually read a lot of memoirs, but this one was amazing.