Stuck in the middle? Students describe their fifth-year experiences

Whether it is to get another degree, finish up coursework or take advantage of the Presidential Scholarship, students at Lehigh may decide to spend a fifth year at Lehigh for a variety of reasons.

The Presidential Scholarship recognizes academic achievement by undergraduate students by providing a fifth year of study free of tuition. A fifth-year experience can be an opportunity for continued professional growth and learning. The experience of Sammie Polansky, ’15, is evidence of this.

Polansky is a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship, and she majored in psychology with minors in global studies and health, medicine and society. She is pursuing a master’s degree in sociology and works at St. Luke’s University Health Network as part of the Community Fellows Program during her fifth year at Lehigh.

“Deciding to stay was something that I had wanted to do, but was definitely enhanced by the fact that I had the Presidential Scholarship,” she said.

Polansky said she was not completely sure what she wanted to do after graduation, so having this extra year gave her the opportunity to figure things out at her own pace.

“Senior year was really busy and overwhelming, and I really didn’t have a total sense of what I wanted to do,” Polansky said. “I think having this year gave me the ability to take some time and do research and talk to people to get to where I am now.”

Ana Barros, ’15, also a Presidential Scholarship recipient, said having a fifth year at Lehigh helped her get into medical school for next fall.

She was able to take time over the summer to study for the MCAT instead of having to study while school was in session, she said.

She also said her fifth year allowed for her to get a bachelor’s degree in psychology in addition to her first degree in chemistry, a factor she believes made her stand out in her medical school applications.

As a fifth year pursuing a bachelor’s degree, Barros is taking many of the same classes as sophomores, although she does still have many of her closest friends on campus.

“It was pretty weird at first, to be honest,” she said. “My boyfriend is still here, and two of my best friends are still here, which makes a huge difference. But, yeah, it was weird.”

Katie Hooven, ’15, a civil engineering and architecture double major in the five-year arts and engineering program, agreed staying on campus for a fifth year was difficult, especially in terms of finding people to study with since most of her friends had already graduated.

“There was this one girl,” Hooven said, “(she) and I just clicked and we worked together very well and on the same schedules . . . Now, it’s kind of hard to find someone who is a college student who likes to get up before 7 o’clock in the morning.”

Although many of Hooven’s friends graduated, this situation helped her form new connections.

“It’s kind of nice because I also had an extra year to build connections outside of students, like inside the department,” she said.

One particularly meaningful connection she formed is with professor Brian Slocum of the art, architecture and design department. Hooven said this connection opened up opportunities for her, such as being asked by Slocum to help build a coffee table for President John Simon.

Similar to Hooven, Dana Gallant, ’15, is seeking opportunities at Lehigh as a fifth year student. She is pursuing a master’s degree in counseling services in the College of Education and is the graduate assistant for the Office of Gender Violence and Education and Support.

Even if she didn’t have the Presidential Scholarship, Gallant said she still would’ve chosen Lehigh to get her master’s degree.

“I think I still probably would’ve because the (graduate assistant) experience I’m getting is really good for my future career, and it’s also nice being somewhere you already (know),” she said.

As for her future, Gallant said she hopes to combine her work as a graduate assistant with counseling.