Chippewa Valley Times

After discovering naturopathy, Jasmine Pearson realized she "loved living naturally and experienced so much healing," leading her to pursue a career in this field. A biology major with a Spanish minor, Pearson initially found all aspects of biology fascinating but was unsure of her future path when she started college. She stated, "As I continued, I started pursuing naturopathic medicine, and I fell in love with it." She expressed enthusiasm for helping others who might benefit from naturopathy as she did.

Pearson described naturopathy as focusing on identifying the root causes of health issues and addressing them naturally through supplements and dietary changes. She noted that while it may take longer than conventional treatments, it offers lifelong improvements without the side effects of prescription medications.

Before enrolling at UW-Eau Claire, Pearson toured the campus and appreciated its offerings: "I liked the biology program, I liked the Spanish minor and it checked all of my academic boxes and everything I was looking for in a school." The study abroad program, tuition costs, and proximity to her hometown were also appealing factors.

During her freshman year, Pearson participated in the Honors Fellowship program, working on a service project about campus food quality. She reflected on this experience: "It can be overwhelming coming in freshman year, but this project showed me it's possible to pursue something that helps others."

Pearson has received both a Biology Scholarship and the Mickel Honors Scholarship. The latter is named after Ron Mickel, who significantly influenced UWEC's Honors Program. Pearson explained that earning these scholarships required maintaining a high GPA and participating in extracurricular activities: "I felt I had something to show from all my work, not just my transcript."

Her extracurricular involvement includes being part of a women's Bible study group and serving as a peer academic coach and tutor. Additionally, she has been active in intramural sports and on the club tennis team for three years. This year she holds a leadership role as social media manager for the team.

In her role as president of the Biology Club, Pearson emphasized developing leadership skills: "For a while, I was much more passive...but now I'm stepping into embracing leadership skills." Her involvement led to research opportunities with Dr. Nora Mitchell on Native American medicinal uses of plants native to Putnam Park.

The Honors Program has been beneficial for Pearson amidst her busy schedule: "I've never been stressed or worried about an Honors course." Courses like Woman Composers in Western Music have broadened her knowledge beyond her major subjects.

Looking ahead, Pearson plans to attend the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto after graduation. She believes her Honor courses have prepared her well for interacting with people from diverse backgrounds: "Discussions in Honors courses opened my mind more...great practice for interacting with people of varying backgrounds."

Pearson aims to become a bilingual naturopathic doctor while acknowledging how both she and UWEC's Honors Program have mutually benefited from each other during her college journey.