“For as long as I can remember,” says Alex Hjelmaas, “I've been fascinated with science. I chose to major in chemistry because of how applicable it is to everything in our everyday lives, especially emerging technologies.” Hjelmaas, who's double-majoring in pre-medicine, is planning for a career that will allow him to “use science to help people in need.” In fact, he's already helping patients at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where he's a College Student Volunteer. Alex is also active in the Medicus Premedical Society and serves on the Dean’s Student Advisory Committee for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

As a student with a full schedule of coursework, academic pursuits, and extracurricular activities, Alex is adept at managing his time. “The most important thing you can do as a student," he says, "is to learn how to effectively manage your time. Between schoolwork, extracurriculars, and social activities, college can be overwhelming, particularly at first. It's important to find a regular time and place each day that you can dedicate to studying." He also encourages first-year students to ask upperclassmen for advice: "They're one of your most valuable resources on campus.”

Like all CLAS students, Alex has taken many courses outside of his major areas to fulfill the requirements of the College's General Education Program. His favorite (so far) has been Introduction to Philosophy, as it allowed him to contemplate ethical issues and “question the world around me from a non-physical point-of-view.”