Nighthawk Determined to Serve Others thru Law Despite his Love of STEM

October 3, 2024

Jack Woodard's interest in STEM and science was sparked at a young age by his grandfather, a chemistry professor. Now attending NOVA, Jack is thriving and has developed a strong passion for writing and gives credit to his professors for their invaluable guidance. What stands out about this 17-year-old is his maturity and polished speaking skills.

Jack Woodard's journey to NOVA began after being homeschooled and completing high school early. Last fall, at 16, he took a NOVA dual enrollment class, leading him to attend the college full-time.

In addition to his love for science, Jack is passionate about drones and has started a drone club at his local 4-H club. But this young man is not planning to study STEM in college. Read on to discover Jack's career goals and what drives him.

Young man dressed in green business jacket
(2023 Jack Woodard 4-H Ambassador and 4-H Youth-in-Action STEM Category Award Winner)

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background. 
Being homeschooled worked well for me because I have a strong drive to learn independently, allowing me to explore my interests in science and reading. One of my favorite books was History of the World, which I listened to as an audiobook repeatedly. My grandfather greatly influenced my interest in STEM by providing chemistry kits for simple experiments and guiding me through them.

At nine, I lived in Chile for five months while my dad taught English. I enjoyed the rich history and had the chance to walk on two volcanoes. Although they were active, they were relatively calm, at least by volcano standards, and they didn't erupt until after I left.

I also value the leadership opportunities in 4-H, where I attend conferences, and I'm currently the Virginia State Champion in public speaking, having practiced a lot.

Originally, 4-H focused on agriculture. But it has expanded into youth development and leadership initiatives, including a Healthy Living program that teaches skills for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. They are also promoting STEM education, recognizing its growing importance in automated farming, where skills like using programmable tractors and drones are increasingly vital.

What brought you to NOVA?
My father is a professor at the Manassas Campus, so attending NOVA made perfect sense. We carpool from our home in Warrenton to campus.

What are you studying at NOVA? 
Liberal arts.

Tell us about your experience at NOVA (i.e., professors you've liked and friends you've met).
I have had a great experience at NOVA. I really enjoyed taking ENG-111, College Composition I, with Professor Philip Ciarniello; and I'm currently in his Introduction to Poetry class, which is going well. I appreciate his teaching style and how he engages every student. English-112, College Composition II, with Professor Laura Casal was one of my favorites. Her approach combined literature and poetry, which was a pleasant surprise, as I expected a focus on essay writing. Instead, the class emphasized literary analysis.

What would you tell a student coming to NOVA?
Don't be afraid to use the tutoring centers, they are quite helpful and it's free! I've used them I think twice for my English class.

Where do you see yourself after NOVA or what career pursuits are you exploring?
I plan to transfer to a four-year institution to earn my bachelor's degree, possibly in English or history, before attending law school. I'm really interested in going to either William & Mary or University of Mary Washington.

I realized I wanted to work as a lawyer after my grandmother had a terrible car accident. It left her unable to work as a waitress anymore. Although she applied for disability benefits, she was denied. Then she called a lawyer and that's when she was able to get her benefits. This experience showed the important role lawyers play in advocating for those in need.

While I love science, I prefer its applied aspects, such as flying drones. I also enjoy history, writing and I'm passionate about helping others. Despite their negative reputation, many lawyers do meaningful work, and I believe I could be one of them.

What are your final thoughts?
I really like learning so being at NOVA has been great. It's giving me more opportunities to pursue things I've been interested in. And it has really helped me come into my own. I didn't really like writing before I started these classes at NOVA, but what I learned was how to enjoy it, as well as how to do it. That was great.

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