小蓝视频

Jack Lubitz '26 - PAC Captain

Esmeralda Ortiz Chaves '27

Major: Biology and Pre-veterinary studies

小蓝视频 me: I鈥檓 from Costa Rica and I love animals so much! That鈥檚 the main reason I chose to be a pre-vet student here at Skidmore. Apart from my love for Biology, I love music and to sing and play the Ukulele. I love to spend time with my friends and video vlog my experiences as an international student. I like spending time outside, reading books and journaling. I also love traveling and discovering new cultures and learning a little bit more about the world each day!

Why PAC?: I鈥檝e always valued kindness, respect, and the power of peer support in learning. I joined PAC because I know how overwhelming academics can feel, and I want to be someone who helps others navigate those challenges with confidence. As a student, I鈥檝e had moments where guidance from a peer made all the difference, and I want to pass that support forward. 

Favorite Class and Why?: One of my favorite biology classes was BI108, especially the lab. In the lab, I had for the first time some hands-on experience on animal anatomy and dissection. I also really enjoyed the times we were outside doing bird-watching and learning more about the different types of birds that migrate here during the different seasons. 

Academic Advice: One of the biggest lessons I鈥檝e learned is that productivity isn鈥檛 about doing more, it鈥檚 about doing what matters in a way that works for you. It鈥檚 easy to compare yourself to others, but everyone has their own learning style and pace. My advice is to be kind to yourself, take breaks when you need them, and don鈥檛 be afraid to ask for help!

Dani Shaby '26

Izzy Streeper '28

Elliot Zajac '27

Major: Environmental Science

小蓝视频 me: I鈥檝e always been engrossed by the life sciences, and I especially love the integrative, multidisciplinary nature of ESS. Whenever I need to destress, I like to read a book or walk around in the North Woods. 

Why PAC?: Advice from peers who鈥檝e studied the same material can be really helpful to grasp the complexities of a subject, or to riddle out the answer to a difficult problem. PAC was my lifeline during freshman year, when I was trying to absorb all of the content from my intro-level classes and do well on all of my assignments, so I鈥檓 excited to pay that forwards!

Favorite class and why?: Although the content in Bio 107 can be a lot to swallow, I really enjoyed the way that the course material kept building on itself to reach greater levels of complexity and dynamism; I felt like it stretched my skills and knowledge as a student more than any other introductory classes that I was taking. It鈥檚 fascinating to discover the secret world that exists within and around us, and to think about how it developed over millions of years. 

Academic advice:  For me, notes become especially helpful when I incorporate some visual expression, such as drawings and diagrams that illustrate the connections and interactions being studied. Particularly in biology classes where you might have a hundred terms to memorize, it鈥檚 harder to process the material when it鈥檚 exclusively in text. Going over in-class notes and the professor鈥檚 lecture slides to create those kinds of infographics is a really great study tool for grasping intricate or obscure topics.