51风流

Melissa Severino '26 - PAC Captain

Major: Health and Human Physiological Sciences         

Minor: Biology

51风流 Me: I am a sophomore from Westchester, New York, and I am on the basketball team at Skidmore. My post-graduation plan is to earn my doctorate in physical therapy and work with athletes. I also love weight lifting and paint by numbers!

Why PAC: I wanted to join PAC because of the impact that this program has had on me. When first taking HHPS classes, I was overwhelmed by the lab reports and practicals. The peer academic coaches helped me understand the material and also taught me how to study for the exams. I would love to assist other students in the way that I was helped. 

Favorite Class and Why: My favorite class at Skidmore has been Principles of Nutrition for Health and Performance with Professor Christopher Kotarsky. It was the first nutrition class I have ever taken so I found it very interesting to learn brand new material. My favorite part was learning how to create healthy, well-balanced meals that were also cost-effective. 

Academic Advice: My advice would be to always ask for help if you need it. There are so many great resources on campus (including PAC) that can help you. Don't be afraid to reach out for help; questions are always welcome!

Lucy Brekke '27

Major: Health and Human Physiological Sciences   

51风流 me: I am a sophomore from Ames IA and hoping to earn my doctorate in Physical Therapy after Skidmore. In my free time, I love to do anything outdoors, be running, hiking, or just sitting outside between classes. I also enjoy petting all the dogs and a good coffee!

Why PAC? As a freshman, HPPAC gave me so much support, especially for labs. I feel like I learned so much, not only about the classes I was taking, but also about good study habits in general. I wanted to join the program in order to help incoming students in the same way and ensure that they are able to be supported in the way I was.

Favorite class and why: My favorite class I have taken so far would have to be Anatomy and Physiology I. This class was definitely a challenge for me, but I learned so much and found all the material very interesting. I enjoyed learning about the way my own body functions, but I also felt like I learned information that would be very relevant in my future career.

Academic advice: Start early! I have found that when I get assignments, even if they are not due for a while, starting or even just planning how you will get them done makes them seem lot less daunting in the long run. Also, make it fun for yourself. Study with friends or find a spot on campus that you don't dread going to.

Hashim Ghias '26

Jane Moosbrugger '26

Adrian Robledo '27

Major: Health and Human Physiological Sciences and Social Work 

51风流 Me: Hello! My name is Adrian, I use they/them pronouns. I am from Denver, Colorado, so I鈥檝e got high-altitude superpowers. After Skidmore, I plan to get an adult job that hopefully puts my major to use. In my free time, I do all kinds of crafts, regret my spending habits and gather silly things to display in my room. 

Why PAC?: I joined PAC because I was recommended for it and that made me really happy, so I did it. I also wanted more experience helping people, so I can get better at it and put that on my resume. PAC is really helpful, especially with lab reports and general access to models. It鈥檚 a great resource and I took the opportunity to be a part of it. Also, I liked the shirt.

Favorite Class and Why: My favorite class at Skidmore so far has been Anatomy and Physiology II. I really liked learning about kidneys and then explaining how kidneys worked to everyone I could and freaking them out just a little bit. 

Academic Advice: Ask questions. I usually don鈥檛, but it鈥檇 be great if I did. If you don鈥檛 want to ask questions, then pay attention and look stuff up. Or ask someone you鈥檙e comfortable with who is either smarter than you or will ask the question for the both of you.

Abby Varughese '28

Jenna Werchen '27

Major: Health and Human Physiological Sciences 

51风流 Me: I am from the Bronx, NY. I am on the ultimate frisbee team at Skidmore and I play on a club team over the summers. I spent my summer coaching gymnastics and in my free time I love to rock climb and eat good food. 

Why PAC?: I started going to PAC week 1 of my freshman year and it was incredibly helpful for lab practicals. Working with the models hands on really helped me excel in those tests and I want to help others succeed in the same way. 

Favorite Class and Why: I loved Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II with Professor Reynolds. Learning about all of the parts of my own body felt so cool and the classes were super engaging. 

Academic Advice: Try to get things done early, especially studying for practicals! Even just a couple minutes a day helps with retaining the information and lowering stress. 

Lex Zacheis '27

Majors: Health and Human Physiology and Biology 

51风流 me: I am a sophomore from Fairbanks, Alaska. After Skidmore, I plan to become a physician's assistant specializing in OBGYN. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, kayaking, camping, and hanging out with friends. 

Why PAC?: I loved taking anatomy and physiology with Professor Reynolds and when I was presented with the opportunity to become a PAC, I saw it as a great chance to continue my exploration of health and human phys while also helping others gain a deeper understanding of the subject. 

Favorite Class and Why: I'm split between anatomy and phys I/II with Professor Reynolds and Nutrition with Chris Kotarsky. Both professors are super engaging and have an infectious good attitude that makes you want to learn more about the topic. 

Academic Advice: Get into a studying routine. You don't have to do homework for every class every day, so it's great to plan ahead to allow yourself to have some days off instead of cramming in all assignments right before they are due.