Meet Shamsa. Meet Shama.

Meet two incredible sisters who have found their purpose due to the continued support of our alumnae/i and friends who make these experiences a reality for students and their families.

Shamsa Roshan ’24

Shamsa, a biology major with a minor in computation and coding, didn’t always know her exact destination. Like her sister, she identified at a young age that she had a love for science. The College of Mount Saint Vincent allowed her to gain the hands-on experiences necessary to help her realize exactly what direction she wanted to go in.

Exploring her passions has been made possible by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Dean’s Merit scholarships. Her perception of a private education requiring her to take out multiple loans quickly turned into a misconception once she received her acceptance letter and financial aid package from the Mount. “These scholarships have played a major role in my time at CMSV, reducing the financial stress for me and my family and allowing me the time to focus on my academic performance, in particular, to conduct hands-on research with Dr. Ana Ribeiro.”

These experiences and faculty relationships have enabled Shamsa to identify her interests and passions. The support and encouragement from the faculty, especially Dr. Pamela Kerrigan, has helped her navigate her undergraduate journey. They encouraged her to participate in a prestigious summer program, which was focused heavily on those interested in medical school. Concerned that may not be the path she was interested in, the faculty pushed her to take on the challenge and use it as an opportunity to clarify where her passions lie. They were indeed right… that summer she found her niche and her love of research.

Not only has Shamsa been able to dive deep into her studies, she has been able to take advantage of all the College has to offer. From serving as a tutor for her peers in both math and science courses to being involved in the Mount MDs, and currently serving as the President of the Science Club, Shamsa is an engaged member of the Mount Saint Vincent community in ways that have been transformative for her and put her passions into practice

Shamsa is only a junior and still has another year left at the College. Through the hands-on research she has conducted, the experiences she has gained over the last three years, and guidance from her faculty mentors, she has identified the path she is eager to take—one that is different from her sister’s. She has her sights set on a career in research with plans to continue her education by earning a PhD, perhaps in immunology, which she found her love for through her studies at the Mount.