USA Today recognizes Jesse O'Shea among top 20 college students

USA Today has selected Florida State University student Jesse O’Shea as one of 20 college students in the nation to be on its All-USA College Academic First Team. The winners were featured in the June 9 edition of the newspaper. (http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-06-09-allusa-college-bios_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip)

The students were selected on the basis of their excellent scholarship and their efforts to reach beyond the classroom to benefit society. The recognition comes with a trophy and $2,500.

O’Shea, 21, is majoring in biological science and interdisciplinary social sciences. After a life-changing visit to Haiti in 2008, he founded the Global Haiti Initiative, which has grown into a national program with more than 20 chapters. FSU’s chapter tackles the problems of clean water, de-worming and education.

He is also one of the founders of Protect Our Professors, which raised more than $125,000 in one semester to help protect the jobs of faculty and staff during a budget shortfall. He helped establish a campus political party, the STATE Party, with the goal of promoting diversity and leadership. He co-founded the first student-run United Way in the country and also created Students United for Health Care Reform.

O’Shea, who plans on pursuing both a doctorate and a medical degree after his May 2011 graduation, is currently conducting research on a human DNA tumor virus.