They don\u2019t look alike. They have different majors. They are headed on different career paths.<\/p>\n
But what triplets Michael, Madison and Joshua Pope \u201919 of Easton all share is drive, working hard, succeeding academically and graduating from East Stroudsburg University on May 11.<\/p>\n
Brothers Michael and Joshua and sister Madison are all dean\u2019s list students. All of them are also pretty modest, so it is hard to get them to talk about themselves. But Kimberly S. Adams, Ph.D., professor of political science and economics, who has taught all three Popes, is delighted to applaud them.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey would never, never, ever call attention to themselves. I wanted them to be recognized so people can see this is possible. It can happen,\u201d she says. \u201cEvery time I get the chance, I tell them how proud I am of them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are such a unique group. They are all so smart,\u201d Adams says, although she jokingly tells the boys that their sister is the smartest.<\/p>\n
Madison Pope, a secondary education major concentrating in chemistry, is outgoing, organized and, yes, she admits, competitive with her brothers for grades – especially with Josh, who is a biochemistry major. \u201cI can be so mad if he gets a higher grade,\u201d she laughs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always wanted to be a teacher,\u201d Madison says. Having finished her student teaching, she plans to spend the summer after graduation looking for a teaching job. Her long-term goal is a master\u2019s degree and teaching AP chemistry classes, hopefully staying in the local area.<\/p>\n
Madison, who clearly likes a challenge, has taken AP and honors courses, worked as a lab assistant and general chemistry tutor, been involved in the student Pennsylvania State Education Association and the student National Science Teachers Association, and sings in Vocal Variations, ESU\u2019s acapella group. What does she do for fun with what little time is left over? \u00a0Besides going to concerts, she says with a laugh, \u201cI am a big sleeper.\u201d<\/p>\n
Biochemistry major Joshua Pope is a quiet guy who says with a smile that the tally on the competition with his sister \u201cgoes back and forth.\u201d \u00a0While they are both majoring in science, his interest is in the lab rather than the classroom.<\/p>\n
His focus is in pharmaceutical research and the development of new drugs, and after graduation he plans on a gap year with an internship, and then graduate school. On campus, he has worked as a lab assistant, a job he took over from Madison.<\/p>\n
A self-described \u201cDead Head,\u201d Joshua\u2019s trademark garb is a concert t-shirt, in keeping with his favorite activity of going to concerts (\u201cBob Dylan was great, but he can\u2019t sing\u201d), and he enjoys \u201cplaying a little guitar\u201d and jamming with the third roommate in the apartment he also shares with his brother.<\/p>\n
Michael Pope, by all accounts the most reserved of the siblings, says he is not confused with his brother. \u201cHe can grow a beard. I can\u2019t,\u201d he laughs.<\/p>\n
Michael will graduate with a degree in political science\/pre-law and business management, a combination he feels is a good preparation for a career in patent law.<\/p>\n
In January, he participated with Dr. Adams and other ESU students in a program in Washington, D.C. at the Osgood Center for International Studies. \u00a0In addition to a seminar on \u201cContinuity and Change in American Leadership,\u201d the students visited legislators on Capitol Hill and kept a journal of their experience. \u00a0Of the current political environment, Michael says we \u201clive in unprecedented times\u201d with politics so divided that \u201cpeople can\u2019t have a civil conversation. We need to be talking to people, getting their take on things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Like his brother, after graduation he plans a gap year. His goal is an internship as a clerk or job shadowing, ideally in the Northampton County courthouse, before heading off to law school.<\/p>\n
So what are the best and worst things about being a triplet?<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone always has your back. It can be stressful at times. You want your siblings to do well, but you are competing to do better,\u201d says Michael.<\/p>\n
Madison agrees. \u201cThere is always someone to talk to.\u201d\u00a0 But \u201cthe worst thing is being all on top of each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
Josh notes, \u201cYou never feel alone, but sometimes we butt heads.\u201d And, with a laugh, \u201cthere is always someone to go to if you need cash.\u201d<\/p>\n
About attending ESU together, the triplets note that they had mixed feelings, wanting to be together but also wanting to be apart. But all three say their ESU experience has been great.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe political science professors are great. I loved all those classes,\u201d Michael says. \u201cYou can develop relationships with professors, something you don\u2019t get in a larger school.\u201d<\/p>\n
Madison agrees, \u201cI am sad to be leaving,\u201d<\/p>\n
The feeling is mutual. Kimberly Adams says of the Pope siblings, \u201cIt has been a joy to teach them. I know their futures are going to be so bright.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
They don\u2019t look alike. They have different majors. They are headed on different career paths. But what triplets Michael, Madison and Joshua Pope \u201919 of Easton all share is drive, working hard, succeeding academically and graduating from East Stroudsburg University on May 11.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":18817,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[9,143,20,50,52,58],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18812","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chemistry","category-community","category-esu-success-stories","category-political-science","category-professional-secondary-education","category-slider"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/quantum.esu.edu\/insider\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18812"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/quantum.esu.edu\/insider\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/quantum.esu.edu\/insider\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quantum.esu.edu\/insider\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quantum.esu.edu\/insider\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18812"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/quantum.esu.edu\/insider\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18812\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18818,"href":"https:\/\/quantum.esu.edu\/insider\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18812\/revisions\/18818"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quantum.esu.edu\/insider\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18817"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/quantum.esu.edu\/insider\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18812"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quantum.esu.edu\/insider\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18812"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quantum.esu.edu\/insider\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18812"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}