UA Little Rock Graduate Pursues Passion to Become Marine Biologist
Jessica Edwards, a non-traditional student from the small town of Wautoma, Wisconsin, is celebrating a remarkable journey as she graduates from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock this December.
After years of challenges and hard work, she’s ready to turn her lifelong passion for marine biology into a reality, taking the first step on a career path that leads to her ultimate goal of working with sharks.
Her path to success wasn’t a straight line. After leaving college in Wisconsin at 18 due to financial difficulties, she spent years working in factories and other tough jobs to make ends meet. But at 25, she made a life-changing decision to return to school, enrolling at UA Little Rock in 2018.
“It was a gut decision,” Edwards said. “I wanted to start fresh, and UA Little Rock gave me that chance.”
Edwards was a part-time student for many years, which gave her the flexibility to work full-time. She became a full-time student in 2022, which gave her more opportunities to pursue internships and become involved in student activities like the Biology Club and being a learning assistant.
“As I got older, I found friends and mentors who challenged me,” Edwards said. “I started to grow and started enjoying being a student because I could really embrace it by interacting with faculty, students, and mentors.”
Now 32, Edwards is set to graduate with a degree in biology with a concentration in ecology and organismal biology.
Along the way, she embraced opportunities that fed her passion for marine biology. A pivotal moment came during a 2023 internship in South Africa, where she conducted research with the Shark Research Unit.
“We tagged smaller sharks, observed great white feeding habits, and even performed autopsies on sharks affected by orca attacks,” she recalled. “I cried the first time I saw a great white. It was incredible.”
Edwards also gained valuable experience as an environmental consulting intern and through fieldwork with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, exploring areas from pest management to air quality permits.
Despite balancing part-time school, full-time work, and life’s challenges, Edwards never lost sight of her dream of studying sharks.
“It’s been my obsession since I was five,” she said. “My entire life is Shark Week.”
After graduation, Edwards plans to work in the fisheries industry as a stepping stone toward her ultimate goal of becoming a marine biologist. Looking back, she credits her growth to her experience at UA Little Rock.
“I made the best friends I’ve ever had and found mentors who challenged me to grow,” Jessica said. “Being a non-traditional student came with challenges, but it’s shaped me in ways I wouldn’t trade.”
