Cheerleader Helping To End Breast Cancer
The Redskins Blog has a post on one our good friends, Talmesha:
Society has a nasty habit of assuming that people with a pretty face don’t have to work hard, and therefore don’t have much to offer outside of their shallow appearance.
Redskins Cheerleader Talmesha is out to blow that theory out of the water, as she has two bachelor’s degrees (Mathematics and Chemical Engineering), and is pursuing her Ph.D in Cellular and Molecular Medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
She recently sat down with ScienceCheerleader.com–and yes, there is such a site–to talk about how her path towards saving the world runs through the sidelines at FedExField:
Her education, in her own words:
I graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) in 2004 with a B.S. Chemical Engineering and a B.S. Mathematics. I am currently writing my dissertation on Polyamine Analogues as Novel Anti-HER Family Agents in Human Breast Cancer.
Truthfully, I don’t understand the name of what she’s studying, but it’s a fitting area of study, given the Redskins’ tradition in fighting Breast Cancer, as well as honoring those battling.
This past season, her fourth with the team, Talmesha served as a co-captain for the Redskins squad. In addition to her duties on gameday, she also did a number of events in the community and military tours to troops stationed overseas:
My best cheerleading experiences involve boosting the morale of troops both locally and abroad. As a Washington Redskins Cheerleader I have participated in multiple military appreciation tours. It is truly humbling to spend time with the troops and see firsthand the sacrifices they make to keep us safe every day.
Exceptional brain power and coordinated dance moves aside, Talmesha’s most admirable quality is her perseverance and standard of quality. When others have made the mistake of selling her short, she’s only used it as motivation to prove them wrong:
I believe stereotypes have helped my professional experiences and made more resolved to chart my own path. You will always come across people who don’t necessarily agree with how you live your life and you cannot live your life for others.
Whether on the sidelines of chemistry lab, this perspective has served her well. As a matter of fact, no matter what you do, this approach certainly applies. The very best of luck to Talmesha to reach all of her personal and professional goals.
