Erica Boehm ’13
The Chemistry and Physics Department is friendly and inviting. The department puts on an ice cream social at the beginning of every year, and all of the professors are wonderful. I like that they make me feel welcome and wanted. One of the major reasons I like SWAGÊÓƵ, in general, is the fact that the class sizes are rather small. You have the chance to get to know your professors on a level much like you could in high school.
Another reason is the numerous opportunities for getting involved in student research. Almost every professor offers some sort of research opportunity. The experience and knowledge you gain by getting into student research is invaluable.
I started doing research last spring (second semester of my sophomore year). This experience has allowed me to expand my skills in the lab. I have seen and done reactions that you don’t get to see in class labs. It has allowed me to see what it’s actually like to work in a lab. The hands-on experience of figuring out what went wrong with an experiment and how to remedy it is something you also won’t find in class labs. It’s a lot of trial and error, and a lot of fun. Getting into student research was definitely the best choice I ever made."