Originally born in Chicago, Illinois, Vanessa Eaton was raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan and grew up in Houston, Texas where she currently resides. Encouraged to apply to Spelman by her mother who graduated before her with a STEM degree, she is currently pursuing a degree in
biology. While at the College, she has conducted research in multiple areas and traveled abroad with the support of the U.S. Department of State Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship.
Eaton's current research interests were built upon her passion for criminal justice and psychological and behavioral sciences. These interests include abnormal psychology -- specifically criminality and mental disorders -- and substance abuse. After graduating from Spelman, she would like to pursue a clinical psychology Ph.D. program to eventually become a correctional psychologist in an effort to counteract the negative effects incarceration has on inmates suffering from mental illness.