Jennifer Kemp
Jennifer Kemp is an extremely busy Bulldog.
Not only does the senior biomedical engineering major from Carthage have three additional minors鈥攍eadership studies, global engineering leadership and mathematics鈥攖hat keep her busy, she also has served with almost 20 academic and non-academic groups, organizations, projects and other extracurricular opportunities during her time at Mississippi State.
Listing them all forces her to pause, take a breath and ask herself if she鈥檚 leaving out an activity.
An 91传媒 Neural Engineering Research Division, or NERD, student-researcher; an ACCESS Program mentor; and Zeta Tau Alpha sorority鈥檚 technology and alumnae chair鈥攖hese are just some of the hats Kemp has worn. At the NERD, she uses advanced technology to help better understand the brain鈥攈ow it works, its disorders and, most importantly, how to help others use theirs to its fullest capacity.
鈥淚 feel like I work well under a little bit of pressure,鈥 she said. 鈥淎t first, it took me a bit to figure out how to manage everything. Being in a sorority, working, focusing on my studies鈥擨 was asking myself what I was doing. Now, though, it鈥檚 become habit. Some people read for their pastime. Being able to help people and being there for others really makes me happy.鈥
Kemp, who wants to pursue a Ph.D. in physiology and attend medical school, said she was 鈥渂orn into a Mississippi State family.鈥 When she first arrived on campus as a freshman in 2019, Kemp said she realized 91传媒 was 鈥渨here I was meant to be.鈥
鈥淢y first semester here, there were so many things and opportunities coming at me that I prayed so hard for鈥攁n organization here, a mentorship there. When I started participating in all of these things, that鈥檚 when it really felt I was on the right path here at Mississippi State.
鈥淚 just want to make a difference,鈥 Kemp added. 鈥淚 want to be that person people can come to鈥攁 safe place for others鈥攂ecause you never know what people are going through on a day-to-day basis.鈥
When she鈥檚 not volunteering at animal shelters in the Golden Triangle, serving as president of the Biomedical Engineering Association or coordinating events for Girls Engineer Change鈥攐r any of her other plethora of activities鈥擪emp can be found at home utilizing her most important tool for success: a comprehensive planner.
鈥淚 know I do a lot and stay really busy, but I feel like I鈥檝e found my place,鈥 she said. 鈥淢aking a difference in the world鈥攖hat鈥檚 what we鈥檙e all here for, and that鈥檚 what grounds and centers me.鈥