Andrea Pelotte ’09
After my first trip to É«ÏãÊÓƵ, I knew that this was where I wanted to go. I loved that the campus was small and the students all had a genuine sense of community. It's great to be able to look out onto the water while walking to class and to go swimming at the University's beach whenever I want. It was also very important to me that É«ÏãÊÓƵ was an environmentally friendly college. After my first semester at É«ÏãÊÓƵ, I really began to enjoy chemistry and wanted to learn more about it. That is when I officially changed my major to incorporate a Biochemistry degree.
Not only are professors able to get to know their students, but as a student, I've developed friendships with almost all of my professors. The Chemistry Department is continuing to grow and students are encouraged to participate in the hiring process by meeting potential professors and giving feedback to the department. I am also involved in the Chemistry Club. Multiple times throughout the year, the club organizes chemistry programs at local schools to encourage kids to be interested in chemistry. We try to emphasize hands-on experiments, but also conduct demonstrations to get the kids thinking scientifically.
The research that I conducted with Professor Amy Deveau for my honors thesis has been most important to my professional development...Working in the lab has enabled me to develop significant skills in the field of medicinal chemistry and has enabled me to see real world examples of concepts learned in the classroom. Presenting our research has also helped me develop public speaking skills and valuable professional experience."