Chesapeake Grad Heads to Brown

For Jameson Shead, being well-rounded is very important.

While at he took 15 Advanced Placement classes, played on the tennis team, was involved in his church and was the treasurer of the National Honor Society. It seems as though Shead’s hard work has paid off—he will attend Brown Univeristy in the fall.

“They had a really good pre-medical program there,” said Shead on his decision to go to Brown. "A lot of people go there for pre-med, and it is a really prestigious school."

Shead, 17, said that when he narrowed down his college choices, Brown stood out for one particular reason.

“When I was looking in my guide book, Brown had the highest quality of life—people really enjoyed being there,” he said. “So when I visited there I kind of got that whole vibe too. It wasn’t a super-competitive atmosphere, it was happy people who love to learn, and so that’s why I decided to apply. I thought is was a really good atmosphere to be a part of.”

Besides taking many Advanced Placement classes, Shead said he also enjoys music.

“I am involved in my church with music stuff because you have to be well-rounded,” Shead said. “It can’t be all academic activities. I like volunteering and I really like playing the piano and stuff too.”

To help prepare for his pre-med track, Shead took an AP chemistry class during his senior year,

He said he wasn’t sure what type of medicine he specifically wanted to get involved with at Brown, but did say his inspiration for a medical career came from his mom, who is a nurse.

Shead will begin his college career Sept. 1, which also happens to be his birthday. He said he is looking forward to the freshman experience and hopes he doesn’t get too home sick.

“They have these classes called first-year seminars and they are on really interesting topics,” he said. “It is also capped at 20 students, so I think it will be neat to have a small group of students that you can get involved with and go through college with.”

Shead added, “I am really looking forward to it. I think when I get there first semester I might become a little homesick, but I think it is a really good thing to live away from home like that.”