Today, we speak with Steven Schwartz, a senior chemical engineering major from Manahawkin, NJ, who resides on campus in Holly Pointe Commons as a resident assistant. Steven will give us insight on his career as being a member of Rowan PROS and will share his #PROFspective with us on what it’s like to be a Rowan University student and how he’s getting the most out of his college experience as a Rowan Prof.
Name: Steven Schwartz
Major: Chemical Engineering
Minors or Concentrations: Honors Concentration
Year: Senior
Hometown and County: Manahawkin, NJ (Ocean County)
On-Campus Resident: Resident Assistant for Holly Pointe Commons
Academic clubs: American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Sigma Alpha Lambda Honors Society, and Delta Alpha Pi Honors Society
Social clubs: When can squeeze it into my schedule, I go to my friends’ club True Colors.
Do you work on campus? I currently work as a member of the Peer Referral and Orientation Staff, a peer tutor for the Tutor Center in Savitz Hall, and will work as a resident assistant for Holly Pointe Commons for the upcoming academic year.
Why did you choose your major? I chose my major because I really enjoyed and excelled in my math and science courses and was particularly interested in chemistry in high school. I also was throwing around the idea of going on to become a doctor, however I decided against that since I realized I could get a job right out of college with an engineering degree if I was so inclined.
One reason why you chose Rowan? To be honest, I chose Rowan because they offered me the most impressive academic scholarship which was very important when I was making my decision since I knew I would be responsible for financing my own education. This, coupled with the fact that they had a nationally ranked engineering program was what ultimately led me to enroll at Rowan.
Being a member of Rowan PROS:
I applied to be a PROS member for two main reasons; one being that I had several friends who were PROS at the time, and the other being that I wanted a summer job. While my PROS career initially started mostly out of a simple need for a job, it has turned into so much more for me. Through working as a PROS member, I’ve been able to network with a wide variety of professional staff and students within the university, gain valuable leadership skills, as well as hone my communication skills, all of which will prove to be invaluable both during and after my time at Rowan.
In terms of balancing the three jobs that I have on campus, clubs, and schoolwork, I’ve always been of the mindset that if you truly want something to work out you’ll find the time for what matters to you the most. I’m sure that seems like such a simple thing to say, but I know of so many people who only talk about their goals and never set aside time to work towards 
them and instead focus on other activities.
That’s not to say that I don’t indulge myself by binging on Netflix, playing video games, or taking several well-deserved naps, but all of that comes after I’ve made time for the things that I consider more important. The single greatest tip that has worked for me that I can give to anyone struggling with their time management is to make use of a calendar, whether it be a physical calendar or an electronic calendar like Google’s, and stick to it.
All of that aside, I’m really looking forward to graduating next year and although I’ll be leaving Rowan to pursue graduate degree elsewhere, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the years that I’ve spent here and the experiences that I’ve had here.
Photography and story organized by:
Vanessa Vause, junior
Public relations major, advertising minor
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Related stories:
#PROFspective: Chemical Engineering Major John Schneider
#PROFspective PROS Edition: Civil and Environmental Engineering Major Marissa Ciocco
Video Tour: Holly Pointe Commons