What is your preferred name and major(s) and minor(s)?
My name is Jess Guttman and I am History Major and ROTC Student at McDaniel College.
What are some of the jobs you held at McDaniel?
I have not held any jobs at McDaniel.
What organizations were you part of at McDaniel?
I was a part of ROTC, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, History Club and a few others
How much did you enjoy your time at McDaniel?
I enjoyed my time at McDaniel, I do wish they didn’t keep cutting the number of classes offered each year.
Who do you think is/was your best mentor(s)?
Most likely Dr. Miller or Dr. Zjemis. Dr. Miller was an awesome adviser, and Dr. Zjemis helped me immensely with my Senior paper.
What were some of the challenges you encountered and how did you overcome them?
I think my senior paper was one of my biggest challenges, there were not many sources available on the subject I was researching. My advise to anyone who encounters a similar problem would be to reevaluate your approach. Just because something isn’t written doesn’t mean its not there. Reach out to someone who was there or knows someone who was.
What are your plans for after graduation?
I will commission into the Army Reserve in May and plan to move to California sometime after. Civilian side I got a few things up my sleeves, nothing I want to share yet.
What is your best memory at McDaniel? What is your worst memory at McDaniel?
My best memory? Gosh that is a hard one, there are so many! If I had to pick one it would be hiking on Old Rag with my friend David Thornberry. Nothing like getting to the top just to get caught in the rain! Also rain soaked WaWa sandwich are not bad! My worst memory? I don’t really have one…
What advice can you give to those not graduating?
College is a time to explore, don’t get caught up in the drama or the day to day crap. Discover yourself, who you are when you start your studies and end them is up to you. Take the time to explore, take the path less traveled, study the snow pack and learn how to survive in the Tetons in winter when its -10 out and hammer falling snow, get involved in your local community, go sky diving, study abroad in Fiji and see the after effects of the typhoons, get out of your comfort zone! This world has so much to offer. I think Jack Kerouac said it best, “in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” The same could be said of your college experience. Its not about hitting the bottle on the weekend, its about hitting the road and exploring, both through your studies and through yourself.
Anything else you want to share with the world?
Maryland has plenty of places to go explore nature, you just have to look for them. We are right in the middle of some great ones: Maryland Heights(40 Mins), Morgan Run(20 Mins), Patapsaco (20 Mins) Hashawa and Old Mills Nature Preserve (10 Mins), Rock State Park (50 Mins), Great Falls (1hr), and Annapolis rocks (40 Mins).
