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"I had the pleasure of working closely with Marissa during our company's three conferences, where I served as the director. While our primary roles were on different teams within the company, Marissa's versatility and dedication truly shone during these events. She seamlessly transitioned into conference-related tasks, including introducing speakers, moderating sessions and providing invaluable support in logistics and coordination. Marissa's adaptability and willingness to take on various responsibilities make her an invaluable asset for any team or project. I wholeheartedly recommend her for her outstanding contributions and her ability to excel in diverse roles."
TONYA OYALA, PREVIOUS CONFERENCE DIRECTOR, RESOURCE RECYCLING, INC., 9/26/2023
"Marissa wrote well-researched and interesting science articles for the Arizona Daily Star newspaper in Tucson for nearly a year as a University of Arizona Intern and NASA Space Grant recipient. She focused on issues that were relevant to the community, such as local gardening programs, that received positive feedback from readers. She made the science easy to understand in each piece. She's adept at covering an array of scientific topics thoroughly and fairly. She has never missed a deadline, despite also being a full-time student and managing editor of the university newspaper, and more. Although I served as Marissa's mentor, I felt like I was working with a professional colleague."
MIKAYLA MACE, SCIENCE WRITER, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA NEWS, 4/18/2019
"I met Marissa Heffernan when she was a student in my spring 2016 reporting class at the University of Arizona School of Journalism. She was such an agile thinker and accomplished writer, that I nominated her as a participant in the UA School of Journalism’s Best Beginning News Writing Contest. It didn’t surprise me at all when she walked away with the contest’s Mark Finley Gold Pen Award. "
SUSAN SWANBERG, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, 11/06/2017
"I first met Marissa in fall 2016, when she took my Issues in Covering Science and the Environment course ... Although Marissa was only a sophomore, she stood out among a class of talented students. Majoring in both journalism and environmental science, she was one of those rare students who can communicate science with insight, clarity, and passion. Not many students publish their classwork. The story Marissa wrote about shelter cats with infectious diseases appeared on the website of a local children’s magazine."
CAROL SCHWALBE, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA , 2/25/2017
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