GREETINGS

       Hello! My name is Karissa Capitan. I'm from Kingston, Pennsylvania, which is across the Susquehanna River from Wilkes-Barre and a beautiful one hour and fifteen minute drive from Lycoming. I am entering my senior year as a chemistry major with a minor in psychology and I am also working on my certification for secondary education.

       During my senior year of high school, I applied to one college knowing that I wanted to be an elementary teacher. However, after teaching French to elementary students through a school program, I knew I was heading in the wrong direction. In April, with my guidance counselor's suggestion, I discovered Lycoming College and immediately applied. Since I was unsure about pursuing a career in education, Lycoming provided the perfect program. Unlike most schools, I would be able to become certified while also obtaining a subject degree. Having both a bachelor's degree in chemistry along with my teaching certification would increase my number of post-graduate opportunities immensely.

       Learning all that Lycoming had to offer, I was excited for my first visit to the campus. I never expected to feel completely at home in a new place seeing so many unfamiliar faces, but that is exactly what happened. Every person I met greeted me with a smile and was more than willing to answer all of my questions. I knew immediately that Lycoming was the college for me.

       During my past three years at Lycoming, I have had opportunities that would never have been afforded me at a larger school. For example, I was able to be in the classroom during my first education class and I traveled with the choir to Spain without even being a music major. As a result of the overwhelming
sense of community, I have never felt unwelcome at Lycoming.

       In retrospect, I cannot imagine myself being anywhere else.
The opportunities given to me at the College have helped me
stretch as a person in every imaginable way. While I'm going
to be sad to leave Lycoming in the spring, I'll be able to
graduate with confidence knowing that I have received
an exceptional education and have been fully
equipped for success.