About Me

Hi! My name is Anna Essex and I am currently a senior at Arizona State University studying Geological Sciences in the school of Earth & Space Exploration. I am an out of state student here at ASU having grown up in North Carolina and attended high school in Oregon. I decided to make the move to Arizona primarily because of the university's great scholarship and veterans' resources, as I am both a National Merit Scholar and a military dependent receiving GI Bill benefits.

As I wrap up my undergraduate studies, I am looking to the future with the intent to further pursue my current field of employment. I work for the Veterans Upward Bound program here at the university as a math and English instructor. The program provides remedial and refresher courses for free to veterans wishing to pursue higher education, with the eventual goal of helping to support them through the process of earning a college degree. It is a dynamic work environment and one that is truly rewarding. My passion is educational outreach for all underserved populations, from low income children to these adults trying to create a life after military service, so I am hoping to find an employable niche for myself somewhere there.

For a bit of information about me beyond the classroom and workplace, my hobbies include hiking around this lovely state I now call home, cooking all manner of cuisines, reading anything from biographies to science fiction, traveling around the country and around the world, hanging out with my cat named Pigeon, and above all else, salsa dancing. The world of salsa is one I have stumbled into, but it provides a great opportunity to build relationships, practice discipline, and unwind to some awesome music. Being tied to the real-world schedule of school somewhat restricts the frequency of my social dancing, but you can still find me out on the floor at least two nights per week.