Melissa McGowan is a junior at SUNY Oswego from Carthage, N.Y. She is taking coursework to enter into pharmacy school and is majoring in chemistry. Melissa has a passion for the sciences, as she is also minoring in biology.
Melissa has a jam-packed schedule and is heavily involved on campus. She works as a Resident Assistant in Seneca Hall, is on the operation’s committee for Residence Life and Housing, instructs group exercises classes, and works as a facility attendant at both of the gyms on campus. If she didn’t have enough on her plate with all of that, she is also an active member of the chemistry club.When asked what she likes to do in her free time, Melissa made it clear that her free time is very limited.
“Does homework or studying count?” She asks. “Haha, ‘cause that’s literally all I do. I do like watching TV during my downtime, though; it’s how I de-stress.”
Although Melissa seems like a girl who is all work and no play, she expresses a playful side and has passion for dogs. She has a dog who she loves dearly; her 3-year-old Border Collie, Cocoa. In addition, she loves music and plays the trombone. She expresses regret that her schedule doesn’t give her more time to play music.
When she came to Oswego, Melissa originally wanted to study education but changed her mind when she fell in love with the sciences. According to Melissa, she had a long line of family who attended Oswego before her and was familiar with the campus long before she made her decision to attend.
Melissa says her favorite part about Oswego is the lake and the sunsets. She also professes her adoration for her chemistry professors.
“I think the chemistry department is very good here,” she says. “I’ve had a lot of opportunities here that I’ve taken advantage of.”
Her list of favorites include her favorite color, blue; so don’t be surprised if she is sporting the cool color. Her room is a blue-colored oasis and almost everything she owns is blue in color. She is also a big fan of ice cream and says she can’t pick a favorite flavor because she loves them all.
When asked about her favorite part of her major, Melissa expresses her love for its practicality.
“What I like most about my major is probably that it’s applicable to life and explains life from a scientific viewpoint,” Melissa says. “You get to have a further understanding of things most people don’t get to have.”
In the future, she hopes to attend SUNY Buffalo for pharmacy school and become a pharmacist.