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Cary Chiarelli '25 - PAC Captain

Major: Social Work

About me:I am a sophomore from Worcester, Massachusetts. I enjoy skiing, drawing, and hanging out with my dog.

Why PAC?Everyone learns differently, and I believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to find support. I have struggled a lot in the past with studying, as well as simply being confident that I am able to retain the information I just read when it comes time to take the test or write the paper. So now I want to be able to share this with others so I could possibly help them avoid that struggle and skip to the confidence.

Favorite class and why? My favorite class has been Introduction to Public Health. Professor ¶Ù’I²õ²¹²ú±ð±ô’spassion for public health made the course so inviting and fun. I loved learning about the health care and welfare systems in the United States. We also looked a lot at the COVID-19 pandemic and what the government did well in response and where their response was lacking. I definitely recommend taking this course if you get the opportunity. 

Academic advice: Give yourself a break. You got this. It is important to be aware of when you are putting to much pressure on yourself because that is not going to help you.

Yury Leonardo '25

Major: Mathematics 

About me: I am a Senior from Cleveland, Ohio. On my free time I like reading, drawing, cooking, dancing (any type of physical moving activity, you name it, I've done it!) and taking north woods walks while talking to friends.

Why PAC? The Peer Academic Coaches have been there for me all throughout my freshman and sophomore years. I want to give back to my community by being that person that helps the incoming and struggling students.

Favorite class:  My favorite class in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø has been ceramics 1 and 2 along with Calculus 3 and 4. Ceramics class is because that's the one time where I can work 3-Dimensional. When it comes to calculus, the professor in these two classes is what made me finally enjoy the process. It became my favorite classes because I finally got that closeness to calculus that I needed and that are helping me in my mathematics career.

Academic advice: Time management! Whether is to manage time to have fun and turn in things on time, or if it is to space out your work to not get burnt out, managing your time and responsibilities along with downtime is going to help you with your academic success.

Matthew Olivos '26

About me: I am a sophomore from Brooklyn, New York. I love painting and drawing on my free time, playing board games, and lemon tea! Outside of Open-PAC you can find me at club events and serving food at dhall.      

Why PAC? I went to Open PAC almost every single day throughout my freshman year and I loved the work environment. PAC gave me a supportive environment and a space where I wouldn't be distracted. As a result, I wish to foster the same environment for everyone and be a person people can reach out to for help if they need it.

Favorite Class and Why?  My favorite class was Food Fights. One reason I loved the class is because of the grading system. The grading system allows students to improve on their writing if it doesn't meet expectations the first time while also keeping students on their feet when it comes to deadlines. I also loved how the class spreads awareness about respecting other people's cultures as food is an important aspect of culture that provides comfort. Finally, I loved the environment the professor created and looked forward to the days she would bring her dogs.

Academic Advice: Remember to create a balance between work and social life so that that you're not burnt out from overworking or distracted from hanging out with friends. Additionally, remember to focus on yourself instead of comparing yourself to your peers. 

Jonathan Ramirez '25

Major: Environmental Science  

About me: I am a sophomore from Brooklyn, New York City. I enjoy spending the day with friends or with family when I am home. I also like to bake, although I don't do it as often as I'd like to.

Why PAC?: I've been going to PAC sessions throughout my freshman year, and it really helped me when I needed it most. When the opportunity to be a PAC tutor arose, I felt that my experience with tutoring kids provided me with some skills that would be useful for the job and that this new experience could help me improve on those skills. 

Favorite Class and Why: My favorite class would have to be Field Studies in Environmental Science. It was definitely challenging for me since I had never written a research paper before and writing one was essential for the class, but the professors were helpful with feedback and gave us multiple chances to continue improving it. The labs were also engaging and took us outdoors multiple times, which I found to be really fun. 

Academic Advice: Don't compare yourself to your peers who excel academically. It can be damaging to your self-esteem. Everyone's journey is different, focus on yourself and take pride in your own accomplishments.

Rachel Xia '26

Major: Mathematics and Psychology     

About me: I'm a sophomore from Tianjin, China. I like playing tennis and dancing. I'm taking riding class at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø now and I love it!

Why PAC?: I want to help others to solve math problems because PAC has been really helpful to me throughout my math courses in the past.

Favorite class: My favorite math class in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø so far is MA 215.

Academic advice: Be creative when you are thinking of all the possibilities to solve problems and don't give up before you even try!