Student Stories
With nearly 100 clubs to join, 44+ majors to study, hundreds of faculty members to learn from and 2,700 students to befriend, there are a lot of stories to tell at Skidmore.
Ruizhe Hao ’26, a Davis United World College scholar from Ningxia-Hui, China, is pursuing an education studies degree on campus while continuing his passion for rescue work as a volunteer firefighter.
Giovanni Peyo '24, the recipient of a prestigious S3M scholarship from Skidmore, arrived on campus sight-unseen from Haiti. The computer science major describes how he found his niche at Skidmore and his plans for a career in cyber security.
Battling back from two injury-riddled seasons, ice hockey defenseman Stephen Perez ‘25 recently contributed to one of the best seasons for the team in program history. Highly focused and hardworking on and off the ice, the junior business major has been busy gaining experience and preparing for a career in finance.
What happens when a LEGO novice enters a “LEGO Masters”-style competition? Clara Morgan ’26, an environmental studies major, presents the hilarious story of the 49 hours when she went from absolute LEGO newbie with a 9-pound bag of assorted LEGO bricks to an unexpected third-place finisher in the Skidmore Building Challenge.
Thinking of adding a language to your studies? Learn about how admissions ambassadors Rachel Alliker ’24 and Madison Sadler ’24 incorporated language learning into their academic journeys.
For years, Christianna Poblete '26 of Akron, Ohio, trained to be a professional dancer. But in her senior year of high school, she was no longer sure about the future. She writes that Skidmore allowed her to continue to pursue dance while also exploring other interests. She rediscovered her passion for dance and found new interests along the way.
Francie Wharton ’25 shares how her summer research experience changed how she saw her future, and how her time at Skidmore got her there.
For more than three decades, some of the wittiest and wackiest performers from colleges across the country flock to Skidmore for a weekend of laughs at the largest collegiate comedy festival in the nation. It's no joke that the annual National College Comedy Festival (affectionately known as “Comfest”) is a seriously important tradition on Skidmore’s campus.
Grace Mahon ’26 has never really considered herself particularly religious but has found programs offered by Skidmore’s Office of Religious and Spiritual Life invaluable as she has navigated the transition to college life. Yoga classes through Skidmore’s Mindfulness Program have helped her manage stress and bond with peers. It’s one of numerous ways that Skidmore supports spiritual and religious growth and fellowship on campus.
Writing at the start of the second semester of her senior year, English major and Davis United World College Scholar Anesu Mukombiwa ’24 reflects on her unexpected path from Zimbabwe to Saratoga Springs, New York, with stops in Greece and China along the way. “I’m here now,” she writes, “And some days I can hardly believe it.”
No one expects you to have it all figured out on day one. At Skidmore, exploration and discovery of new passions is all part of the process. Peer ambassadors Braedon Quinlan ’24 and Cadence Trach ’24 saw their plans for the future and majors evolve during their academic journeys.
At Skidmore you can do both — that means having full control to explore all of your interests. And who better to demonstrate this than our admissions ambassadors? Here are three peer ambassadors who are truly doing the most with their college experiences.
Peer mentors made a positive impact on their first-year experiences; now these upperclassmen are paying it forward, collaborating with Scribner Seminar professors and taking on a guiding role to support new students' transition to college academics and life.
Students in Distinguished Artist-in-Residence Joel Brown’s Songwriting Workshop perform at Caffe Lena, the longest continuously running folk music venue in the United States and a mecca for some of the biggest names in folk.
The two-sport athlete and business major has learned about leadership, teamwork, and what it takes to persevere. “I love the opportunity to be a team captain,” he says. “I’m lucky. It’s a template for real life.”
Scribner Seminars, which blend disciplines and help students adjust to the rigors of academic life at Skidmore, are an example of what makes learning at the College so unique. Charlotte Mahn ’25 sits down with three professors to discuss their experiences with the program and what they’ve learned while teaching first-year students.
Catie Hamilton ’25, an American studies major with Periclean Honors Forum and business minors, reflects on her experience in Skidmore's Outdoor Orientation Program (SCOOP), an optional pre-orientation program. “The bonds created through SCOOP are lasting,” she says.
How do you find your community at college? Skidmore has more than 100 clubs, where you can make friends and explore your passions. You can even create your own. Here are a few where Skidmore students have found their niche.
Worried about picking the right school? Liz Bracht '24 was unsure, too. But after she settled into campus and college life at Skidmore, she knows she made the right choice. “At Skidmore, I think I’ve been able to adapt and grow in a way that feels very true to myself,” she says.
Alex Carney ’22 entered Skidmore with a primary interest in music. He ended up pursuing a triple major with a degree in mathematics and physics from Skidmore and a Bachelor of Engineering from Dartmouth College as part of a dual-degree program.
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