Liberal Arts and Sciences: Math/Science

Student Showcase

• Grad of Note - Emily Snyder

  

  Why did you choose to attend Tompkins Cortland?

  I chose to attend Tompkins Cortland for a multitude of reasons. Among being close to home, choosing an affordable option, and not knowing what I wanted beyond an associate’s, I was academically worn out. I went to a high school that was filled with academic leaders that did not believe in me and actively told me I was not going to be successful. I did not do well in high school and my only goal was for it to be over. TC3 was my only option since my grades in high school were so bad. Once I started attending the classes I quickly realized that this environment was totally different than what I was used to. Academically, not only did I improve, I soared. I fell in love with learning and found a community of peers and professors who understood me and pushed me to become the best possible version of myself. For once, people believed that I could achieve whatever I wanted, and no dream of mine was too crazy to chase after.

  Who at TC3 had the greatest positive impact on your experience?

  Its hard to say because nearly everyone that I took a class with or had interactions with at TC3 had a positive impact on me. I have so many peers and professors to thank for being there for me during my journey. Two professors that really had a hand in where I am now would be Dr. Jake Jacobs and Jasmine La’Montain. Dr. J saw something in me that no one had even bothered to look for, a love for science. Dr. J pushed me to not only to be the very best I could at what I was doing but also helped me through when I stumbled and failed and encouraged me to shoot for exceptionally hard classes when I believed I was not smart enough to get through them (spoiler alert: he was right every time). Jasmine was another huge part in my journey at TC3. She looked out for me and was always the first to be in my corner. Jasmine taught me so much in the lab and in life. She also encouraged me to shoot for the stars and to continue doing what I believed was best for me.

  What are your next steps after graduation (employment, transfer, etc) and how did the College prepare you for that?

  When I first attended TC3., my goal was to get my degree and go straight into work. Now that I have spent time with the amazing people a TC3, I will be attending a bachelor’s science program at Binghamton University in the fall with aspirations of a master’s degree. TC3 helped me realize who I was and helped me fall in love with a career choice that I don’t believe I would have ended up in if I had been anywhere else. I am truly grateful for my time at TC3 and all the people who helped me realize that I am so much more than I believed and that anyone who told me that I was not capable of achieving something as difficult as a science degree was wrong about me.

• Haley Pantle

  

  Haley Pantle of Candor, New York, graduate from Tompkins Cortland in May of 2018 with highest honors, earning an A.S. in Liberal Arts: Math/Science. She transferred into Ithaca College as a Junior and is currently pursuing a B.S. in Health Sciences with a concentration in pre-med. After her anticipated graduation in 2020, Haley plans to continue on to medical school.

  Why did you choose to attend Tompkins Cortland?
   
  Going into my senior year of high school, I did not have a career in mind. I was interested in and did best in my science and health-related courses, and felt that taking higher level courses in that area would fit me best. I attended Tompkins Cortland because it was a perfect fit to have a comfortable transition into the college setting. I was still able to commute from home and continue waitressing at an Ithaca restaurant I had worked at for years. 

  How did your college experience at Tompkins Cortland prepare you for what came next (career and/or transfer)?
   
  Tompkins Cortland Community College did more for me than I could have ever asked for. In high school, I did not excel in my courses, nor did I apply myself. I struggled with my attendance and had no motivation toward learning the coursework of most classes. Immediately, upon starting classes at Tompkins Cortland I began growing relationships with faculty and peers, and looked forward to my drive in the morning to begin a new day of classes. My confidence immediately starting growing as I began to take higher level courses and succeed in them. I then decided that because I had the ability to succeed in the college setting I would transfer to a four-year school and continue building the courses needed to obtain a career in the medical field. As that confidence continued to grow throughout the past three years, I decided to pursue a career as a doctor, a career I never felt was attainable before my matriculation at Tompkins Cortland. 

  
  What is your current position and how do you draw on your Tompkins Cortland coursework in your job?

  At Ithaca College, I am constantly using material learned at Tompkins Cortland. Many of the courses I am now taking are building blocks that require knowledge in the sciences that Tompkins Cortland provided for me. I also use the coursework while shadowing doctors in the operating room and at my job position as a care provider at an assisted living home. My two years at Tompkins Cortland also allowed me to transfer into Ithaca College as a junior as they accepted every college credit that I had coming into the school. 
   
  Who at TC3 had the greatest positive impact on your experience or your future?

  There were an innumerable amount of faculty and staff members who helped me get to the place I am in now. From professors, those working in the transfer department, and those in the admissions department, I had an easy transition into, through, and out of Tompkins Cortland. Dr. Jacobs in the biology department at Tompkins Cortland had a significant impact on my college career. He reached out to me during my first semester and allowed me to meet with him so that we could talk through my future aspirations. Although he was not my advisor, he helped to lead me in the right direction of courses I should take in order to obtain my goals. Later, he became my professor in General Biology and further helped me to realize my passion for the sciences with his investment for the subject during class. His course is still one of the most challenging I have taken thus far, and I feel as though it helped to seal my dedication for college and one day becoming a medical professional.