Peer Academic Coaching for Health & Human Physiological Sciences

Kimberly Rivera '24 - PAC Captain

Majors: Health and Human Physiology, Spanish     

About Me: I am a second-semester sophomore on a pre-nursing track. After Skidmore, I hope to become a registered nurse (RN) via an “accelerated BS-to-BSN” program. I love studying Health and Human Physiology due to its vast applicability to the medical field, as well as to personal wellbeing and daily life. Outside of the classroom, I enjoy cooking, gardening, and visiting the North Woods.

Why PAC? The human body is so complex and yet coordinated, precise and yet resilient. In other words, physiology is cool, and I am thrilled by the chance to discuss it with others! PAC has been a tremendous help to me, offering advice on lab reports, practice with the anatomy models, and even just time set aside for studying. When I have had further questions or been curious about the material, the PACs have also been there to share insight from upper-level courses. Finally, PAC is a great opportunity to meet friendly classmates in your field of study!

Favorite Class and Why: My favorite class at Skidmore has been Anatomy and Physiology I and II. Professor Reynold’s enthusiasm (and sense of humor) bring physiology to life! It is fascinating to envision what is happening inside the body and to think critically about how and why.

Academic Advice: College is for you! You will get out of it what you put into it. So choose courses that you find interesting and/or relevant to your life goals. Put more time into the assignments that you consider valuable for your learning. Grades are a useful motivational tool, but the true goal is the skills that you want to gain.

Also, get enough sleep! Your brain consolidates memories (from short-term to long-term storage) while you sleep, so sleep is essential to remember what you study. Also, it enhances your attention and productivity.

Sydney Chase '24 

Major: Health and Human Physiological Sciences    

About Me: I am a junior from Southborough, Massachusetts. After Skidmore, I plan to attend graduate school to earn my doctorate in Physical Therapy. In my free time, I love to hang out with friends, go to the gym, swim, and sail. 

Why PAC: I wanted to join PAC because, as an underclassman, I found PAC to be a great resource outside of class to ask questions and work on the material. As an upperclassman, I want to provide others with the same great resource to succeed. 

Favorite Class and Why: My favorite class at Skidmore has been Anatomy and Physiology I. I am interested in Physical Therapy so learning about muscles and bones fascinates me. I loved the lab portion because it provided hands-on experience with the bones and muscles and allowed me to work closely with my classmates. 

Academic Advice: Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I know asking for help can be intimidating, but there are tons of great resources at Skidmore. Professors love when a student goes to PAC or their office hours.

Evan Freeman-Gallant '25

Major: Health and Human Physiological Sciences      

About me:. I am from Saratoga Springs NY, and I plan to continue my education in PT after I graduate. I love anything to do with the outdoors, photography, and fitness.  

Why PAC?: I joined PAC because I want to provide the same level of support I received from PAC as a new Skidmore student. Attending PAC sessions made a huge difference when it came to lab reports, studying for lab practical exams, and my overall understanding in Anatomy and Physiology.  

Favorite class and why: My favorite course so far at Skidmore has been Anatomy and Physiology 1. I loved learning about the structure and function of all the muscles and nervous system. 

Academic Advice: Start your work early! Not saving your work until the last moment will make your life much easier. Some of these courses can feel overwhelming at times, especially with a full schedule, but breaking it down and starting early can make all the difference. 

Ella Kretten '25

Major: Human Health and Physiological Sciences   

About me: I am a junior from NJ and I am a member of the Skidmore volleyball team. I plan to continue my education either in nursing or medical school after Skidmore. In my free time, I love to crochet and read.  

Why PAC?: I wanted to join PAC because when I was an underclassman i found it extremely helpful in so many ways such as working on lab reports or helping me study for practical exams. Now that I am an upperclassman I want to provide that same level of support to the new students. 

Favorite class and why: My favorite class at Skidmore must be anatomy and physiology I and II. I am overall a huge fan of how certain functions in our bodies work and both the lecture and lab explored that content so well. I was constantly interested and excited to learn more. 

Academic Advice: Time management is crucial! It’s super easy to lose track of when assignments are due or when tests and quizzes are so try to stay organized! Also, start studying sooner, there are so many things to do in college so studying early for shorter amounts of time will help a lot!

Rebecca Liddell '24

Major: Health and Human Physiological Sciences

Minor: Biology

About me: I am from Newton, Massachusetts on a Pre-Nursing track. I plan to attend graduate school after Skidmore to earn a doctorate of Nursing Practice. In my free time I love spending time outdoors hiking, swimming, and reading. I also have a love for global travel and trying new foods!

Why PAC: I wanted to join PAC to help other students engage in class material. I personally have benefited from attending PAC sessions and would love to help other succeed. PAC is also a great place to meet other people from your classes and share your knowledge.

Favorite class and why? My favorite class at Skidmore so far have been Anatomy and Physiology I and II. I loved learning about how the human body works. I also loved the lab portion of the class because we got to be hands on with various model structures of the human body.

Academic advice: Don’t wait last minute to start studying. Spend a little time each day to review notes, create flash cards, or even try to teach your friends what you have learned.

Chloe McGonagle '24

Major: Health and Human Physiological Sciences        

About Me: I am a junior from Burlington, Massachusetts, and I am on the softball team at Skidmore. I would like to go to graduate school for physical therapy and earn my doctorate once I graduate. In my free time, I love to paint my nails and spend time with my friends.

Why PAC: I wanted to join PAC because I went to PAC many times and it really helped me succeed in my human physiology classes. I was able to ask many questions and get advice on studying the material. Now I would like to do the same for others!

Favorite Class and Why: My favorite class at Skidmore has been Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Professor Reynolds. I really enjoyed learning all about the bones and muscles and their development. I also loved going to lab where I was able to work with my classmates on performing tests like muscle strength!

Academic Advice: I am a huge believer on getting at least 8 hours of sleep every night! Additionally, breaking up the material and studying little pieces over time has worked best for me to avoid cramming in all the information at the last minute.

Elissa Miller '24

Major: Health and Human Physiological Sciences   

About Me: I am a junior from Orange County, New York and I swim for Skidmore Swim and Dive. I hope to pursue sports medicine in the future and attend medical school. Outside the classroom I love to swim, go to the gym, run and go on road trips. A fun fact about me is I was born in China and adopted by an American family!

Why PAC: I wanted to join PAC because I found the outside help extremely beneficial for my overall understanding of course material. As I got more comfortable reaching out for help, I realized what a difference PAC made. Because of that, I hope that I can help others experience how PAC made me feel. 

Favorite Class and Why: My favorite class at Skidmore has been Exercise Testing and Prescription taught by Christopher Kotarsky. This class was very applicable to what I am interested in and I loved how passionate the professor was. 

Academic Advice: Try your best to get things done early! My entire life I have been a procrastinator, and as a junior it’s still one of the hardest habits to break. Going to PAC really helped me in classes because it encouraged me not to fall behind. Making a small adjustment can go a long way!

Melissa Severino '26

Major: Health and Human Physiological Sciences         

Minor: Biology

About 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!