They say some people are born with the qualities to be a leader. Cari Lewis, a physics major, is one of those people.
As a well-known and dedicated resident assistant, hardworking student and an overall caring friend, Lewis has made an impact on her peers.
She has consulted and guided the people she has met in her time here at Plattsburgh State.
Lewis is no stranger to the medium-sized city environment after living in a suburb ten minutes away from Rochester, New York.
Lewis came to PSUC in hopes improving her math and science skills.
“It’s hard. It’s really difficult. I wanted to do something I didn’t know how to really do. I struggled with math and science in high school, so I wanted to get better at it,” Lewis said.
“I figured while I am going to school I might as well get the most out of it and learn about something I know nothing about.”
Her best friend Jennifer Roslak, a math major who shared a few classes with Lewis, said she is a studious and hard-working girl.
“She works really hard,” Rowlak.
“She studies a lot and makes sure to get all of her work done. School is her first priority.”
Roslak said Lewis also takes pride in her duties as an RA.
“She makes a point to bond with her floor mates. She does what she can to make relationships with them so they feel comfortable to come and talk to her, and she makes sure that there is a friendly atmosphere,” Roslak said.
Although she has been a student association senator and an officer of several clubs, Lewis feels that being an RA was the best thing she was involved with while attending PSUC.
“Being an RA is the most rewarding and the most trying thing that you can do,” Lewis said.
Lewis wanted to become an RA because of her tough freshman year.
“It was really hard adjusting to be here, but I didn’t really have many issues,” Lewis said. Wanting to help other freshmen who were having a tough freshman year was what brought her into residence life, she said.
“She was a leader on her RA team and scheduled fun and interesting [events] for the residents,” Andrew Kramer, Lewis’ boyfriend said. Having been a resident of her floor, Kramer remembers what it was like to have Lewis as an RA.
“I remember she set up this pizza party with one of the other floors in one of the lounges in Moffitt Residence Hall where she was stationed last year,” Kramer said.
“Cari is a committed student and member of the Plattsburgh community. She is incredibly intelligent and has a high level of motivation. She would like to be a physicist someday. I could definitely see her reaching that goal,” Resident Director Daniel Sandberg said.
With her senior year starting this semester, Lewis is hoping to find out what her next step in life will be after college is done.
“I would like to be some sort of engineer, but I don’t know. This semester will help me figure out what I want to do with the classes I am taking. They will either steer me to or away from something,” Lewis said.
Throughout her years on campus, if Lewis has learned one thing, it was that campus life is not as gratifying if you aren’t involved.
“Everyone says that at this school, but honestly if I didn’t get involved in residence life, I wouldn’t have the friends that I have now,” Lewis said. Getting involved and finding something that fits you will really make it worth it.”
