Student Snapshot: Heidi Beardsley ’25
Meet Heidi Beardsley ’25 (data analytics), a dancer, student-ambassador, data-analysis intern and president of Dickinson’s Girls Who Code group. She’s conducted student-faculty research, sold handmade items through social media and taught web development to high schoolers.
Hometown:
Romansville, Pennsylvania.
Major:
Clubs and organizations:
Dance Theatre Group, Hypnotic, Girls Who Code (president), Volunteer Student Ambassador, Dana Research Assistant, and Center for Sustainability Education (data analyst intern).
Honors/scholarships/awards:
Dean’s List, Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society and Provost Scholarship.
Favorite book:
The Conscious Closet by Elizabeth L. Cline.
Favorite movie:
Tangled.
On choosing Dickinson:
I was very interested in the data analytics major! It seemed like something I would enjoy, as I always gravitated towards STEM classes during high school, and no other school on my list offered this major. I also loved that there were so many opportunities for me to continue dancing and to get involved.
Favorite place on campus:
The HUB dance studio or The Site.
Best thing about my major:
I love that it is applicable to so many different fields. Wherever I want to go with my career, data analytics will most likely be needed.
Favorite off-campus spot:
Helena’s Café.
Favorite class so far:
COMP 130 with Visiting Lecturer in Computer Science Lev Fruchter. It was very challenging but extremely rewarding. I felt like I always learned so much every class. Professor Fruchter was always available for extra help for the weekly projects and labs which helped me succeed in the class.
Favorite Dining Hall food:
Applesauce cake.
As I kid, I wanted to be …
… a Rockette (but, sadly, I never met the height requirement).
About my summer research and teaching experiences:
For the majority of the summer, I worked as a Dana Research Assistant for Assistant Professor of Data Analytics Eren Bilen, Assistant Professor of Economics Paul Ko, and Assistant Professor of Economics Xiaozhou Ding. I collected data to help assess the impact of faculty mobility on academic outcomes. This experience provided me with great exposure to data collection and academic research! I am planning to continue my work on this project into the fall semester.
For three weeks of the summer, I worked as a teaching assistant for the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program. I helped teach web development to high-school students from across the nation. The experience was extremely rewarding, as I could see the students’ progress from having no experience with coding to creating three websites!
Little-known hobby/talent:
I had a sewing business with my sister during COVID-19. We made things like bucket hats, hair accessories and some pieces of clothing, and we sold our products through social media. (My sister is much more talented at sewing than me!)
Most important thing I’ve learned so far:
Seek opportunities and say ‘yes’ to them! You never know what you’ll learn, who you’ll meet, or how it will help you in the future. I am so grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had at Dickinson!
Read more Student Snapshots.
TAKE THE NEXT STEPS
Published December 5, 2022