Meet a student in the School of Arts & Sciences

Q&A with a student in the School of Arts and Sciences

Senior English communication major Nikki Zaffiri-Boland, intern for the College’s Office of Public Relations & Marketing, caught up with junior biology major Paras Terrell and discussed his interests in science and medicine, views on the biology program and plans for the future. 

NZB: Why did you become a biology major?

PT: I’ve always had an interest in the sciences and medicine, especially because it is so progressive. Biology can be applied to everyday life. I am always learning something new in this field, which I can use to help others. Once I graduate I plan on going to medical school to become a doctor of internal medicine.

NZB: What do you find to be most challenging about the biology program?

PT: All of the material in biology builds upon itself. It is fulfilling to learn something and be able to relate back to it at a later time. I feel that the course content, class material and time management are also challenging aspects of the biology program. My professors stress the importance of time management. Missing one class is like missing an entire week of information. There is a lot of content that is covered in three to four months, but if you are committed and want to do well, you will do fine.  Biology is intense, and for many of the careers in this field you will likely work in labs and hospitals where people’s lives will depend on you, your education and your understanding of biology.

NZB: What is most beneficial about the biology program?

PT: I think that the teachers are the most beneficial part of the biology program. They are always willing to take time to help, and are really only an “e-mail away.” The entire biology department is patient and understanding, probably because they have gone through these courses, too!Additionally, we get to apply the material we learn about in lectures to our lab classes. This helps us to see and to understand what we just learned during lecture. It is one thing to learn a chemical reaction; it is another to see it in action.

NZB: Are you involved in any on-campus activities?

PT: On campus, I am an active member of the Student Association of the Sciences, and I work as a laboratory aide in Keiss Hall. I really like this job because I get to see the set up of the labs and the experiments in my classes. Plus I feel so official with my white lab coat on!

NZB: In your time outside of Keiss Hall, how are you involved off campus?

PT: Off campus, I volunteer in my neighborhood. I tutor chemistry and physics at the local junior high and high school. I enjoy tutoring because when I was their age I remember having trouble understanding the concepts of science, and now that I understand I want to help and give back to the community.  I also have an off campus job at an arts and crafts store. Working there is like an escape from biology, yet I find myself studying and doing my homework during breaks.

NZB: Do you have any advice for students thinking of enrolling in the biology major at Gwynedd-Mercy College?

PT: You really have to love biology. Make sure you remember fundamentals from high school science classes. I saved my physics notes from high school and they were my saving grace. I kept my senior year notebooks, study guides and assignments for study references.