THE HONOR HERALD The New York City Pforzheimer Honors College at Pace University Volume 8 Pace University 1 Pace Plaza W207-209 New York, NY 10038 P: 212-346-1697
Honors is For Life
Issue 1
October 2018
Madison Oberndorf ‘18
At every conversion event, whenever a prospective student and their family ask me why I came to Pace I tell them the same thing: I came for Honors. I came to receive that scholarship. I came to be in New York City. I came to get $5 Broadway tickets. I came to have access to a cool lounge with free tea and coffee. And I came because when I was a senior in high school Jackie sought me out on a tour, already knowing my name, and told me all about what Honors was like. At the time, I didn’t know why that was special, or that it was telling of the type of personal, caring advisement that I would be offered over the next four years. I came, in all honesty, for the superficial aspects of Honors, but what I r, found, and what I will forever be grateful fo is another family. The idea of having to say goodbye to Pace and to Honors hits me in waves. Some waves I can ride high, like the fact that I’ll never have to take another test or write another final paper. Others crash right over me, knocking me off my feet for a minute and forcing me to find my footing again. Thinking about the amazing classes I won’t take or the people I might not see again, the movie nights I won’t help plan or the incoming classes I won’t help recruit, these things make me realize everything I’ll be missing after I walk across the stage at Radio City Music Hall.
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The Honors College will keep growing and changing after I leave, but I’ll keep growing and changing, too. H e r a l d S t a f f Nicki Kern Editor-In-Chief Niyati Gandhi & CarolynBrody Associate Editors Alex Romano Honors Council President Dr. Bill Offutt Faculty Advisor Dr. Anna Shostya Faculty Advisor Dr. Jaclyn Kopel Director Mohini Gobin Staff Advisor Jessica Reed Program Coordinator Lindsey Lee Thesis Advisor H e r a l d C o n t r i b u t o r s Dr. Jaclyn Kopel Dr. Bill Offutt Dr. Anna Shostya Jessica Reed Lindsey Lee Mohini Gobin Nicki Kern Niyati Gandhi Carolyn Brody
Sydney Meehan Ezana Ceman Cyrielle Talla Madison Oberndorf Holly Thayer Nicolette Carbonetto Kimberley Peterson Veronica Albarella Heather Hall
The Honors Herald is a student run newsletter circulated to the students of the Pforzheimer Honors College at Pace University on the New York City Campus. The members of the Herald Staff review all articles. The opinions of the articles do not necessarily reflect those of the staff or the Pforzheimer Honors College. Pforzheimer Honors College 1 Pace Plaza W207-209 New York, NY 10038 www.pace.edu/honors-college
And I know that I wouldn’t have gotten to this point in my growth without Honors to see me through these past four years. I’m also confident in the contributions I’ve made to Honors, both as a Student Aide and as an active member of the Honors Council. I’ve tried my best to make sure that the relationship between myself and the Honors College has been give and take. For all they’ve given me, I hope I gave back as much as I could in the best ways I could.
Honors is For Life cont… A Letter From The Editor Hello, Honors College! Thank you, as always, for reading. For our first issue this year we wanted to say a proper goodbye to some of the Honors College’s devoted seniors who graduated last year, commend the academic achievements of our students at the end of last semester, share our Summer experiences, and get excited for the Fall semester with some of the first events of the year. You will also find a celebration of the arts in New York City and the creative writing of some of our students.
I would like to thank our new editors and co-chairs, and on behalf of the Honors Herald and Honors Council staff I would like to thank all of our contributors for this issue. All the best, Nicki Kern
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Along the way, I’ve had some extraordinary experiences I know would not have been possible had I not come to Pace and been involved in Honors. I think back on the time Mohini, Holly, and I made a last-minute basketball hoop out of random materials around the office. I remember spending one summer painting and decorating the lounge and office space, blasting throwbacks and Disney music all the while. From spending late nights in the lounge, playing Cards Against Humanity and stuffing our faces, to printing out pictures of “Hot Stalin” and posting them around the office. Even finding out that Pam, our previous thesis-advisor, was leaving the office is an instance I won’t soon forget because it was a time where we came together as a family to say goodbye to someone we cared about. The memories I’m taking with me, the good, the bad, and the straight-up weird, have all helped forge my experience in Honors and have made it a truly unique one. However, the most valuable part about Honors, in my opinion, is that stays with you past graduation. We say it all the time at conversion events, but now that I’m officially becoming an Honors alum, I have no doubt how true the sentiment is. I know I can always come back and drop in for a Harry Potter Movie Night or go to Jackie and Bill for life advice. Though my time as a student has come to an end, and I won’t be spending every day surrounded by my Honors family, that family isn’t going anywhere. Honors has been my home for the pat four years, and you can always go home. So my advice to any incoming or current students who haven’t found their niche yet is: become involved with Honors, give back to the college that gives us so much, and get connected to your Honors family, because Honors is for life. Contents Honors is for Life: A Goodbye from Madison Oberndorf 1-3 A Final Goodbye from Holly Thayer 4 Spring 2018 Academic Conferences 5 NRHC 2018 in “The Renaissance City” 6-7 Out of the Darkness Campus Walk 8 Dyson Society of Fellows 9-11 Honors Ice Cream Social 12-13 Mamma Mia Movie Night 14
Fall 2018 Events 15 Internships 16-19 Travel 20-25 Creative Writing Column 26-27 Arts 28-31 Honors 32-33 Overheard in Honors 34-35 Achievements 36-37 Words from Faculty 38
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Dear Readers, It was a privilege and an honor to serve as the Editor-in-Chief of the Honors Herald for the past 2017-2018 academic year. With Ties Jansen and Nicki Kern as my cochairs and editors, it was a great year for the Herald. We published five editions with many different types of articles and content by many different students. The goal of this publication is to acknowledge and represent all of the great work that students of the Pforzheimer Honors College are doing, and I believe that we were able to capture that. Special thanks to my editors, all those who wrote articles, as well as the President of Honors Council, Mohini Gobin, and Honors staff contributors Dean Dinan, Bill, and Jackie. I am excited to have Nicki Kern take over the position of Editor-in-Chief for 2018-219. When I started this position I was not sure what to expect, as I had only been a part of the Herald team for a year. As a communications studies major and someone who is interested in journalism, I was very excited to take the position. I have learned a lot from my experience, and I am I very grateful to have been given this opportunity. When I started at Pace I was a very shy and I did not become involved until my second semester. I spent my first two years in Honors Council as part of the planning committee, which gave me great insight into how events are planned, organized, and executed through Honors. In my junior year I decided to change committees to the newsletter, as I had always wanted to write for it and I knew that becoming a member would really help me be more involved. On a campus like ours it is really important to find something that you can be a part of in order to have more of a sense of community. The Honors Herald and Honors Council have really become that for me. Not only does our work benefit all of the Honors community, but we really get to have input on the way that things are run. As I move onto my career I am taking many skills with me that I have learned from Honors Council and the Herald, such as teamwork, effective leadership qualities, time management, and organizational tools. The Honors Herald is a great opportunity because it not only allows you to write about your interests, opinions, and experiences, but it gives you a medium of doing so for an award-winning publication. I once again would like to thank you for reading, supporting, and writing for the Honors Herald and I urge all those who are not members to become a part of Honors Council and the Honors Herald as it will provide you will many great experiences and skills.
A Final Goodbye, Holly Thayer
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Academic Conferences Mohini Gobin ‘18 Last year our students attended conferences all over the country presenting the research they conduct at Pace. Conferences provide opportunities for Pace Honors students to share their research, connect with others within the same or similar disciplines and perhaps experience an environment other than New York City. In the past year, we had students attend the Neuron Conference, the Northeast Regional Honors Council, Dyson Society of Fellows Annual Conference, American Society of Microbiology, American Chemical Society, Annual Medical Education Conference, and Model UN Conference. Here are a few of the projects that some of our students presented and conferences they attended: Neuron Conference: Emily Hirowski ‘19
NRHC in Providence, RI: Mohini Gobin ’18; Madison Oberndorf ’18; Anna Marinina ’19; Noelle Howard ‘19 Dyson Society of Fellows: Holly Thayer ‘18; Mohini Gobin ‘18; Nicki Kern ‘19 ASM in Atlanta, GA: Elliana Giannacopulos ’18; Kate Becker ‘18
ACS in New Orleans, LA: Amanda Villaggi ’18; Jahira Zapata ’18; Lauren Reilly ‘19 AAFS Seattle, WA: Amanda Villaggi ’18; Jahira Zapata ’18 Economics Scholars Program Conference Dallas, TX: Jenna Hager ’18; Sheona Ahuja ’18; Klejdja Qosja ’18; Marina Testani ’19
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NRHC 2018 in “The Renaissance City” Mohini Gobin ‘18 Talk about a trip of many firsts. My first time on an Amtrak train. First time in Providence, Rhode Island, also known as “The Renaissance City”. First time joining a committee to plan student events for a conference outside of Pace and New York. First time presenting my research after my thesis presentation and to Honors students from schools all over the Northeast. And lastly, first time winning the Student of the Year Award. Wholeheartedly, I can say this trip and the Northeast Reginal Honors Council conference was one that I will always remember. As a student researcher and active Honors College member, I was excited to find out that there was an Honors Conference I could apply for. I’ve gone to science conferences but I knew this would be a different experience. I applied in the fall, along with Madison Oberndorf ’18, Anna Marinina ’19, and Noelle Howard ’19 and all our research proposals were approved. I presented my Honors senior thesis titled, “A new approach for drug discovery for the treatment of Cryptosporidiosis.” Madison also presented her honors senior thesis titled, “Creating, Maintaining, and Releasing Characters: Predicting Burnout in Actors”. Anna and Noelle presented their projects from Nexus Maximus titled, “BookBox” and “Refugees in Need: The Children’s Community Center,” respectively. The theme of the conference was “A Lively Experiment: Seeing Anew.” Prior to applying to present, I had the unique ability to be a part of a new addition to the Conference, the Student Activities Committee (SAC). This group was made up of Honors students from different colleges that were participating and we helped plan the student run events for the conference. This includes a game night, art show, open mic night and lastly, the student gala. I had a really great experience working with the other students through emails and WhatsApp and finally meeting them all in person at the conference! The conference lasted four days with different events planned for each day. On Thursday, Jackie and I arrived early to get settled and to attend two events, the Game Night and a big picture discussion with the other Honors directors and faculty. The game night went well and I was honored to be able to listen to the conversations from other Honors colleges and programs.
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The next day, before Madison, Anna, Noelle, Dean Susan Dinan, Thesis Advisor Lindsey Lee, the Director of the Honors College in Pleasantville, Shobana Musti, and the four Honors students from Pleasantville arrived, Jackie and I started our journey around Providence. The conference incorporates a City as Text component to each conference for attendees to learn more about the area they are in. Jackie and I ventured out into Rhode Island and passed by the first Baptist church in America founded by Roger Williams, and the Rhode Island School of Design. We also visted Brown University’s campus which was very different from Pace, and did a tour at the John Brown House Museum. When we first discovered the museum, we thought it was John Brown the abolitionist from the 1850s, however during the tour we realized that this was not the same person, but John Brown a Rhode Island merchant slave trader, member of the House of Representatives and a founder of Brown University in the 1770s. Very different people. After, we joined everyone and attended the Student Art Show and the NRHC Banquet. It was nice to be able to meet the students and faculty from the Pleasantville Campus. Saturday was the first day of presentations which took the form of posters, paper presentations and roundtable discussions. Noelle and I presented our posters this day, nice and early from 7:30am-9am. The rest of the day involved attending paper and roundtable discussions organized by different themes. I attended sessions on Seeing Relationships Anew in Honors, Ethics and Alzheimer’s, Re-Examining the Consequences of Technology and Health Care Disparities. There was a diverse range of topics to see and I wish I had more time to go to more presentations. The night ended with a nautical themed student gala which was the biggest project of the SAC and I think it went well!
On the last day, Madison and Anna presented their posters, bright and early once again and following that was NRHC Award ceremony. This is where they gave student recognition to Student of the Year for a two and four year institution, the student representatives and student activities committee and passed the torch to the organization hosting the NRHC Conference next year, in Baltimore, Maryland. During the semester, there was a call to nominate students for the Student of the Year and I went for it. I had no clue until the moment they were reading my bio and mentioned “studied abroad in India” that I knew I was selected. It was an honor to be selected as the Student of the Year for a four-year institution! Overall, I had a wonderful experience I hope other students in Honors can have one as well. I must thank the Honors College for all their support and the opportunity to be a part of the SAC, explore Providence, and present my honors thesis for one last time!
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Out of the Darkness Campus Walk Nicolette Carbonetto ‘20 The Out of the Darkness Campus walk was put on by Pace’s Psi Chi Psychology Honor Society, in collaboration with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. These walks are held all over college campuses in the Spring to bring awareness to mental health and suicide prevention. Because suicide is the second leading cause of death in people ages 18-24, this walk sets out to save lives. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has amazing programs to help survivors, people struggling with depression, and allies. Last year, Pace really came together as a community to share inspiring stories and walk in solidarity with our classmates. This year, we surpassed our goal of $5,000 and raised $9,358! We are so thankful for our wonderful volunteers and walkers for making this walk a huge success. We hope you will join us this year!
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Dyson College Society of Fellows Nicki Kern‘19 THE CONFERENCE: The Dyson Society of Fellows held its Annual Conference on Sunday, March 25th. The Society of Fellows is open to students from both the Pleasantville and New York City campuses. This year the conference was held at the New York campus. During the meeting, Pace’s undergraduates from all disciplines present academic or creative works that they have developed with the assistance of a faculty sponsor. The meeting began with opening remarks and a breakfast. Breakfast was followed by a plenary session with four presenters. Former Honors Council President, Mohini Gobin, gave the first plenary presentation. After the plenary session there was a lunch and poster session with a little over two dozen poster presentations set up in the gym, and then two concurrent panel sessions in the afternoon. The panel sessions were grouped by similar topics and had between two and four presenters per panel. I presented a creative writing piece during the second concurrent panel session. I was eager to do a creative piece, because while the professor who presides over the Society of Fellows, Dr. Maria Iacullo-Bird, always says that students can present creative works, it doesn’t have to be a research project, it seems as though most students present research. The creative works tend to be performance pieces. I do a lot of creative writing, and it was exciting to share my work at an academic conference, but also nerve-wracking to read my work in front of people outside a creative writing class environment. My piece, “Life Sucks”: Exploring Thought and the Deeper Self,” is a personal essay that draws on existentialist philosophy, various writers’ and artists’ perspectives, and my own memories and opinions to interrogate the meaning and/or meaninglessness of life and the importance of introspection. I worked on this piece with Professor Bureen Ruffin. I took Professor Ruffin’s creative nonfiction and memoir courses, and fell in love with the personal essay genre. I cannot thank her enough for her always kind and thoughtful critiques, and her endless support. If anyone is looking to try a creative writing class—take one of Professor Ruffin’s.
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I shared the panel session with one other student doing a philosophy presentation. Having only two presenters in our room allowed us both to get through more of our own work than the panels with three or even four presenters. Honors Herald Editor-inChief, Holly Thayer, also presented during the second panel session. The Annual Meeting concluded with a reception and awards ceremony. Dr. Iacullo-Bird also opened the submission application for the Society of Fellows journal Transactions. Overall, the Society of Fellows’ conference was an incredibly gratifying and enriching experience. Hearing some of the ambitious work our peers have done was incredible. Getting to share my own work for the first time in front of my parents and boyfriend was a terrifying but truly special and rewarding moment. Be on the lookout for the next Society of Fellows Annual Meeting next spring. Think about the work you are doing in classes now or work that you might want to get started. Think about professors you admire and would want to work with. Ask one of them to be your advisor and get to work! Being a Fellow is an impressive accolade and a special privilege.
THE INITIATION CEREMONY: “MAKING JEAN SMILE” Having completed the two requirements for joining the Dyson College Society of Fellows (attending the Fall Weekend Retreat and presenting at the Annual Meeting), I was able to be to be inducted as a Fellow. The Initiation Ceremony was held on Thursday April 26th, 2018. Most of the event consisted of signing the Book of Charter and taking a photo with Dean Rich Schlesinger while holding our certificates and pins as every fellow was named. Fellows can be both students and professors. Three professors were initiated as part of this class. Awards were also given. Former Honors Council president, Mohini Gobin, received the Charles Dyson Award.
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This was the first time a student was initiated posthumously. Honors student Cristian Figueroa was honored and initiated In Memoriam. Dr. Iacullo-Bird read a letter of recommendation she had written for Cristian when he applied to join the Honors College, and spoke in detail about the quality of his work and the eager and ambitious person he was. I didn’t know Cristian personally, but Dr. Iacullo-Bird’s words were powerful, and Cristian’s memory will be well-served. It was a beautiful moment.
Every class is named after a professor who has been previously initiated. My spring 2018 Fellows class is the Jean F. Coppola class. This is the first time—as far as the Society of Fellows staff can tell—that a class has been named posthumously, and certainly the first time a class was named after a Seidenberg faculty member. Four of Dr. Coppola’s colleagues and friends gave a presentation on Dr. Coppola’s career and spoke to her memory. The work Dr. Coppola did over her career—within and without Pace—was incredibly impressive, and the personal stories each speaker shared were funny and touching. Their presentation ended with “something that would make Jean smile”— advice on how to move forward in our careers past the already great achievement of becoming Dyson Fellows: learn how to collaborate, learn how to share, learn to see opportunity, and learn how to learn. I hope our Fellows class can follow this sound advice and make Jean smile.
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Mamma Mia Movie Night Nicolette Carbonetto ‘20 Friday night and the lights are low, looking out for the place to go! What better place than to the Honors movie night! Honors threw yet another amazing movie night! With the second movie coming out just this summer, what better movie to throw it back to this fall than Mamma Mia? As we entered the lecture hall, we were whisked away to a Greek paradise. Decorations were fully stocked with Greek backdrops and a photo booth with fun Mamma Mia props including Donna’s diary, dot dot dot, and Greek flags. Students came in a collection of Donna and ABBA costumes. To add to the amazing night, not only was the classic pizza served but also actual Greek food including spanakopita (spinach pie), hummus and pita, and tiropita (cheese pie). With the sights and the smells satisfied, the lights went down and the movie began. To make things better, not only was the movie played but it was a sing-along with lyrics and all the students were belting the words and had an amazing time.
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FALL HONORSEVENTS Mamma Mia! Movie Night –September 28th National Pasta Day - October 17th Honors Loves Dos Toros –October 18th Harry Potter Movie Night - October 19th Design Factory Breakfast –October 22nd Halloween Party - October 26th Pforzheimer Family Visit –November 5th Pacegiving - November 16th Ugly Holiday Sweater Party - December 7th
Watch out for more events, including Resume workshops, Free headshots, Yoga sessions, and more!
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NYC GUITAR SCHOOL’S SUMMER ROCK BAND CAMP Niyati Gandhi ‘21 This past summer, I interned at NYC Guitar School's Summer Rock Band Camp. The camp consists of rock bands grouped by level and age, such as the 12-14 advanced band or the 15-17 beginner band, and boot camps for those who want to learn guitar. As an intern along with two others, I did administrative tasks and music-related activities. In the mornings, I sat at the check-in desk to greet parents and answer questions. I also worked on compiling schedules for upcoming days. In the afternoons, I taught guitar and vocal lessons to campers who needed a little extra support. This was my favorite part of the day, since I got to interact with the kids and play music with them.
There were also special days, like Band Visit Day and Recording Session Day. Band visits consisted of every band visiting at least two other bands. They would watch other bands rehearse a few songs to see what they can learn from them. On recording day, each band would get 15 minutes in the recording studio. They could record one song to be edited and uploaded . As a result, the kids could have professionally recorded versions of their songs. It was a fascinating process to witness and piqued my interest in the world of music recording. The camp runs for six weeks, in three sessions of two weeks each. At the end of each session, there was a final showcase where each band or boot camp would perform the songs they had been working on. Since there were three sessions, there were three shows. Showcase days were hectic; we worked from 8am to 8pm. Show days began like any other day, with band and boot camp rehearsals. In the afternoon, the kids would go to the venue, which was a restaurant/bar that had a stage for live performances.
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During the shows, the atmosphere buzzed with nervousness and excitement. Parents eagerly held cell phone cameras up to take pictures. Some kids gathered in front of the stage and cheered for bands as if they were longtime fans. Strangers walking by peeked in to see where the music was coming from and ended up staying, impressed by the kids. At the end of each show, there was a special performance by the Intern Band, which included all of the interns. This was my first time performing as lead singer. It was nerve wracking, especially since we only had one rehearsal: 15 minutes on the day of the show. Somehow, we always managed to pull it together by show time. In past performances at other events, I've been a guitarist, but as lead singer, I had a new perspective. I could hear how all the instruments depended on each other for cues and support.
I really enjoyed this internship because I could work with kids, develop my own skills, and still have fun. I built upon transferable skills, like communication, and some specialized ones, like changing guitar strings and playing the drums. Also, the intern team was highly motivated, so it was easy to go in to work every day. The kids had fun and so did we.
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INTERNSHIP AT THE MODERN LANGUAGE ASSOCIATION Nicki Kern ‘19 This summer I interned at the Modern Language Association. You might recognize it as the citation style that drives you nuts when you’re trying to write a paper, but the MLA is a nonprofit organization, head-quartered here in lower Manhattan. They promote the value of studying the humanities, advocate for the continued offering of quality humanities curricula and departments, and provide support in a variety of ways for professors and graduate students. In their quarterly journal, PMLA (Publications of the Modern LanguageAssociation of America), they publish their members’ work on language and literature. The other key aspect of the MLA is the International Bibliography. You might recognize the MLAIB if your English 201 professor had a librarian come in to talk to you about doing research and mentioned some databases to use. The MLAIB is awesome. I have been using it for all of my research papers since sophomore year. Seriously - if you’re not using it you need to start. I had a 10-week internship in the Bibliographic Information Systems department. Basically I was on the backend of the MLAIB database, researching and fact-checking information for various projects. Within those projects I worked on several different national literatures including: Canadian, Australian, South African, Indian, Pakistan, and Irish. I started keeping a list of authors’ names that I found amusing. My favorite was an Australian aboriginal children’s author named Banjo Woorunmurra. I also worked with the MLA’s archivist on several projects. We prepped old editions of PMLA for digitization, and I spent a lot of time fact-checking and writing biographies for the former presidents of the MLA. The biographies will be on the MLA website and added to the presidents’ Wikipedia pages.
This internship was fantastic for so many reasons. Somehow, the MLA found every single kind-hearted person in New York City and put them together in one office.
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All the interns had Lunch & Learns every Wednesday, where someone from a different department at the MLA would come and talk to us about what their department does and what the projects they are working on entail so we got to experience the MLA beyond our own departments. Also, we got free lunch those days. I only mentioned a few projects I worked on, but I got to do so many tasks with so many different people. I learned so much at this internship, including that I have a strong interest in archival work and might pursue it as an element of my work in academia. I also gained many skills (and lines on my resume) that will make me a more attractive candidate for graduate programs in my applications this semester. I saw actual results from my tasks during the internship, and I must have done a good job because they kept me around. The last week of the internship my boss asked me if I had any interest in staying on part-time after the internship was over. I tried not to look too giddy when I accepted. When I started back at Pace for this fall semester, I also started back at the MLA. I have a cubicle, administrator access to the databases, cool colleagues and a whole host of new projects to work on. Currently, I am working on integral projects that keep the MLA International Bibliography running and expanding. But please don’t ask me to change the citation style, I can’t do that.
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A r o u n d T h e Wo r l d w i t h J a c k i e Dr. Jaclyn Kopel ‘10
In May I traveled to Helsinki, Finland for the Product Development Project (PdP) Gala. PdP is an experience that is part of the New York City Design Factory(NYCDF). Students are selected to work with real companies from around the world to solve a real problem the company is having. Students work on these projects with international teammates for about nine months. The Honors students selected this year were Alexandra Romano ‘19, Allie Gallagher ‘19, and John Mulcahy ‘19. Helsinki has come to be one of my favorite places, even though both times I have visited it was for work. However, this time I was able to sneak in a few hours to see the city while my apartment was being cleaned. I got to see the church in the rock, which is exactly what it sounds like, a church built into the rock. I had high hopes for it, but thought it was underwhelming. I also went to see the Helsinki Cathedral, which was beautiful from the outside, but also underwhelming inside. The rest of the trip was spent at the Design Factory.
Alex and Allie were working for Safera on a product and app that allows the user to know when the stove is overheating and stop it. Their booth was setup like a home with a kitchen and living room. John was working for Ericcson on how to make home brewing more attractive and easier to do. Alex and Allie worked on the business plan, design, and graphics for their project. John did the interface coding on his. While the students had been working on the projects separately since October, they only had one week before the gala to bring everything together. That meant working on the presentation, recoding, printing visuals, preparing an elevator pitch, setting up the booths, making sure the prototype worked, designing last minute visuals, and more. It also meant food shopping for the Safera team. They decided to cook falafel and meatballs and make pancakes during their demos. That meant I had to run into the city via their amazing metro system (puts the MTA to shame) to go to a giant supermarket. The only problem was I didn't speak Finnish. Trying to figure out all the ingredients and the correct measurements (the metric system was not my friend) was difficult. However, I succeeded and the food came out great. In case you want to know, maple syrup is apparently rare in Finland and thus very expensive.
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The booths came out great. Many of the other projects were incredible. There was a giant crane, a pizza making robot, a robot that builds elevator shafts, a deep sea rover, an ambulance stretcher that minimizes movement, a device that tells you when your food is going to spoil, a student oasis experience, and a few others. John's team's booth was a favorite because they gave out free samples of beer and they set it up like a bar. His group was also chosen to present to more people. In total, about 300-500 people came by the booths and the teams got to speak to their companies and their stakeholders who all seemed very pleased. I was very proud of the work they did and how professional they were. While my favorite part of the week was seeing the students handle their all day demonstrations like professionals, I also loved having the chance to eat lunch almost everyday with my students. It was nice to hear their perspective on the PdP experience and to get a chance to talk about Pace and Honors over some Subway sandwiches (we were not fans of Finnish food). Additionally, faculty from other Design Factories flew in for the gala, so it was also a nice opportunity to see friends and discuss the projects our students had worked on. The week went by quickly even if there were a lot of long days. Like the last time I was in Finland, I was sad to leave.
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Travel Tips (Study Abroad Edition) Ezana Ceman ‘20 Bonjour. Hola. Hallo. Ciao. Namaste. Salaam. Hello! For the past nine months, I have been studying abroad in the beautiful country of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in the western Balkan Peninsula of Europe. Over these past nine months, I have successfully visited 13 different countries. We all know the price of our tuition and how hard it is to live on a student budget. With that in mind, here are some tips on how I travelled inexpensively: 1. Every country has some sort of student travel agency. In Bosnia, I found an agency through a friend’s recommendation that deals specifically with students and through them I visited: Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Russia. When in Europe, you can easily (most of the time) get to where you want to go by bus. For 398 Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Marks (BAM / roughly $243 USD) I was able to travel to Russia by bus and visit 8 countries along the way. Although the ride alone lasted 4 days (with an overnight stay in a hotel in Warsaw, Poland), it was worth every penny. I never thought I would spend 4 days in Moscow with roughly 600 other students. Map of where I went with a student travel agency to Moscow
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FEATURES
The Honors Herald
2.Look for the cheapest yet doable travel options. For example, I took the 4 day bus ride (it was originally 3 but we were kept at the Latvia-Russia border for 14 hours) to Moscow but flew back through Istanbul, Turkey (with a 23 hour layover) which allowed me to complete many of the tourist activities people do in Istanbul. In Europe, there are several cheap airlines that travel to major cities such as: RYANAIR, easyJet, and Pegasus Airlines. For the cheapest bus tickets, I compare FLiXBUS and BusTicket4 prices. 3.Bring nothing but bring everything. For the cheapest prices when it comes to baggage, I am proud to say I have mastered the art of packing everything I would need for a 2 week stay in one carry-on piece of luggage. On these cheaper airlines, carry-on luggage is free and the way I get out of paying for an additional piece of luggage is by following the following 3 notions: (1) Vacuum Bags, (2) Remember the +-2kg rule, and (3) Act like you didn’t know. I am a big believer in vacuum bags and they honestly do save your life when trying to pack as much as you can in a tight space. Every airline allows for your luggage to go over the weight limit by 2 kilograms, approximately 4.4 pounds. If you are caught in a situation where your luggage is extremely overweight (I once had my checked in luggage be 9kg [19 lbs. approximately] overweight), you just have to act as if you are shocked and then start freaking out about how you can’t afford to throw anything out and how your scale showed that it weighed less. I have many more tips I can provide you with if you are planning to study abroad in Europe or somewhere else in the world and feel free to contact me at any time to find out more!
October 2018 Page 24
TRAVEL
Road Trip to Chicago
The Honors Herald
Carolyn Brody ’22
Sophomore year of high school, my best friend Mason and I (a fellow Pace student) sat next to each other in history class expressing our newfound love for the city of Chicago. We were intrigued by the food, culture, and mostly the metallic bean sculpture that the city was most known for. Like most ambitious teens we promised that one day we’d make a trip to this city, just the two of us. But unlike most teens, we actually made it happen. Almost two years later it was senior year and we were discussing how we could make this trip possible post-graduation. We started saving bits of paychecks and pocket change in the fall, and by the spring we started making arrangements. I booked our Airbnb, a quaint room in a home in Greektown. We figured out how we could cross off as many things as possible from our Chicago bucket list, and after months of planning it was finally time. Not even twenty-four hours after our graduation caps hit the ground, we were on our way. The drive from New Jersey to Chicago is roughly thirteen hours straight through, so we drove about halfway and spent the first night in Pittsburgh with a family friend of Mason’s. We were greeted by a feast from our host, ate our hearts out, and then accidentally passed out for the evening (driving really gets to you). The next afternoon, after some exploration in Pittsburgh, we left for our final destination, unable to contain our excitement. The first hour or so of driving outside of Pittsburgh went very smoothly. So smoothly, in fact, that I decided to go eighty-nine miles in a seventy per hour zone. Though I was oblivious to this, the Ohio police were not, and we were pulled over and given a speeding ticket. But we drove on, not letting this get in our way. Seven hours later we arrived in Chicago, and to this day nothing compares to the feeling of driving into a city for the first time with the windows down and Lorde blasting on the radio. We moved into our home for the week, and quickly discovered that no restaurants were open at midnight on a Thursday. But soon enough we stumbled upon the beacon of light that was a 24-hour Mexican restaurant, and ended our travels with 1a.m. tacos. We decided to go to Chicago the week of a massive heatwave, so every day was spent soaked in sweat. Our first full day we finally saw our beloved bean, ate deep dish pizza, and walked forever. Over the rest of our trip we went to Navy Pier, visited the beach at Lake Michigan, and ate Chicago-style hot dogs like proper tourists.
October 2018 Page 25
TRAVEL
The Honors Herald
We went to museums, found a tattoo parlor in Polishtown (you know where this is going), and ventured into Southside to visit the Shameless house. We even found out one of our favorite bands, The Front Bottoms, was playing forty minutes outside of the city. We made the trip for only a forty-five-minute set in a parking lot with not one ounce of shade, and regretted none of it. We ended each night utterly exhausted and beyond happy that we were exploring this world on our own for the first time. On what we thought was our last full day, we were getting ready until there was a knock on our door from the cleaning lady. She informed us that it was noon and we had to start packing our things so she could tidy the room for the next guest. Knowing for a fact that I had booked the room for another night, I thought she had clearly made a mistake. But once Mason checked our itinerary saying that it was in fact our last day, my heart sunk. We packed up a week’s worth of living into the back of his Jeep Renegade in under ten minutes, got in the car and then realized “Where were we supposed to go?” I couldn’t stop feeling guilty - I had really messed up. It was already midday, so committing to driving home would mean we wouldn’t make it back until at least 2 a.m. Luckily our host in Pittsburgh was still around so we broke up the drive once more, seeing much more of that city than we expected to. We made it home late afternoon of July 3rd, drained from all that had occurred in the past week. What we learned (but probably knew a little beforehand) was that road trips never go as planned. But isn’t that what makes them great? We experienced a new city, ate great food, met amazing people, got piercings we weren’t supposed to, spent too much money on Uber, made some bad decisions, and basically got kicked out of Chicago, but the beautiful thing was that we did it all on our own terms. One can never go into a trip like this with a narrow mindset, because something is always bound to go wrong. But if you have the right person by your side, none of that matters. I look forward to our next road trip, and hopefully we’ll make it cross-country next time without getting a ticket.
October 2018
ARTS
Page 26
The Honors Herald
Creative Writing Column Phase Heather H a l l ‘ 18 Al i t t l e over a week ago, through a f r i e n d who i s no longer a f r i e n d . Acquaintances turned body bangers, wi t h ease. Flowers blooming i n unmarked d i r t . Red dress g r i p p i n g voluptuous f i g u r e .
Poison extinguished naive f e a r s . Never been f i r s t i n
the t h i r d
wheel s i t u a t i o n . S t e a l i ng g i n from l i p s . Wobbly walks around the c o r n e r. Ak i s s goodbye, s l i g h t tug on my forearm. Come c l o s e r. B u t t e r f l i e s released wi t h my c l o t h e s . A new realm, the s l i g h t l y romantic. Never thought I would do t h i s , l e t alone do i t w e l l . Underground, under the body sucking my s o u l .
Shades o f ye l l o w, the arm holding t i g h t . Smiling s t i l l s e d u ctive l y naked. Back home i n h e e l s , the walk o f s m i l e s . The end. Snakes s l i t h e r t o t r u t h . Maybe i t was my f a u l t . Ruined, back t o the o l d .
Fuck my l i f e . No more excitement, t a l k i n g f o r
hours, obsessing. D e f i n i t e l y my f a u l t . Lasted a week, the scent won’t wash o f f . Flashbacks o f s k i n on s k i n . She smiles back.
October 2018 Page 27
ARTS
The Honors Herald
Creative Writing Column Second Chances Niyati Gandhi ‘21 Night washes over paved streets Lights flicker in Morse code I trudge home Eyeing strangers Wafts of conversation Another day lost Silence. Tomorrow? *** Sunlight pours through Cracks between buildings Intertwining early morning wisps I traipse onto the subway Eyeing strangers Souls trapped in cellphones Reaching, clawing, crying out I escape cacophony To match your steps Heart Pounding, counting Down, whisper “Hi” Your smile whooshes through me I am alive.
Submit your creative work for the column in our next issue of the Herald! We accept all genres, and are eager to spread the creative works of our community and help students build a portfolio.
October 2018 Page 28
ARTS
The Honors Herald
Transfers: A Well-Rounded and Poignant Veronica Albarella ‘18 Production Transfers is a one act play being performed at the MCC Theater company at Lucille Lortel Theatre. The plot focuses on two young men, Clarence and Cristofer, who come from the same rough neighborhood and are now interviewing for a scholarship at a prestigious college. Like any theater production, all aspects must cohesively work together to create an effective show, including the writing, acting, directing, and technical aspects. I found Transfers to be highly successful in all of these regards.
Transfers was written by Lucy Thurber. The script was masterful at providing carefully constructed dialogue that performed many functions. For instance, when Cristofer first enters, his initial lines gave a strong impression of who he is. David, a school counselor who coaches both students before the interviews, comments that he curses far too much and implies that he sounds less professional than Clarence. Thurber also creates crucial dialogue that teases to the audience that Cristofer and Clarence have a prior history without giving that history away too early. Above all, the dialogue must be compelling, which it certainly was. Thurber achieved a delicate blend of humor and drama that aptly described the complexity of the characters’ scenarios. Additionally, I believe Thurber made a smart choice to isolate individual characters. Essentially, we saw all different combinations of characters onstage at once, which had to be carefully planned to be as dramatically effective as possible. Thurber has undoubtedly created a poignant and compelling theatrical script. Another crucial component that was also impressive in this production was the acting. Due to the complexity of the script, the actors had to navigate through a spectrum of difficult emotions. I was particularly impressed with Ato Blankson-Wood, who played Clarence, and Juan Castano, who played Cristofer. Both actors are playing relatively young people who have already had difficult life experiences. The roles require physical demands, such as when Cristofer has a sort of epileptic breakdown and when Clarence begins heavily sobbing. They also require a knack for both humor and academic knowledge. Blankson-Wood and Castano do a remarkable job of tackling this difficult subject matter. I hope to see both actors continue to produce great work in the future.
October 2018 Page 29
ARTS
The Honors Herald
The aspect of a production that must pull all other aspects together is the directing. Jackson Gay directed this play with great skill. Most notably, the biggest testament to his work is the fact that I never noticed the blocking. When the actors moved, it felt completely natural and spontaneous, even though I am sure it was quite deliberate. Although I liked the writer’s decision to isolate characters, this can make the director’s job more difficult. It is challenging to hold the audience’s interest when the only action is two or three characters having a conversation onstage. Nevertheless, Gay masterfully keeps the audience visually engaged and moves the actors in natural ways. This visual engagement, which the director likely helped design or at least approve, is bolstered by the technical effects. The costume decisions were important for making statements about the characters, which was designed by Jessica Ford. For instance, to be in line with his dialogue and performance, Cristofer is dressed significantly more casually than the other characters. Costuming is a crucial element to maintaining the realism of the story, particularly when it is in a modern setting such as this. Ford was extremely effective in costuming the actors so that they could best portray their characters. Other important elements are the scenic and lighting designs. Donyale Werle was the scenic designer and Russell H. Champa was the lighting designer. I loved how the set depicted both the inside and outside of a hotel room, complete with snow falling on the exterior. This was a brilliant choice. It both clued the audience in to the setting and time of year while also being visually appealing. The other sets of offices and a restaurant were also fully realized to make them feel very real. The lighting changes were most notable in between scenes. At the end of the scene, a light would focus on one character who had been notable. This allowed the audience to linger on the emotional action that had occurred in the previous scene, while also downplaying the set changes. This is a smart lighting decision not only because of what Champa chose to light, but also what he chose to keep in darkness. This made for solid scene transitions, which is necessary for the flow of the play. I would recommend this play to anyone because it is an important and human story. However, I think it would be most relevant to young students or people making transitions in their lives. Much of the play focuses on the changes from one lifestyle to another, which can be poignant to many people for many different reasons. I would also recommend the play to young people who have lived in poverty, which is another theme of the play. It honestly and empathetically depicts young people who have had to deal with these tough circumstances. It can be important for other people who have had this experience to see themselves reflected on stage. I thoroughly enjoyed this theatrical production and would love for other people to have the privilege of seeing it.
October 2018 Page 30
ARTS
The Honors Herald
Kimberley Peterson ‘18 It was a “thigh high” quality performance by the cast of Kinky Boots on Thursday, April 26th, 2018 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. The start of the show shined with the cast’s high energy songs and dance numbers. The lyrics and music are written by legendary music icon Cindy Lauper. The musical is based on the book written by Harvey Fierstien. The show is about a young man named Charlie Price, who inherits his father’s mens shoe factory, Price and Son, after his father suddenly passes away. Ultimately, Charlie is saved during a crisis within the company by a drag queen who agrees to partner with Charlie to make signature red thigh high “Kinky Boots” for drag queens. Wayne Brady, who you may remember his comedy acts from the show Who’s Line is it Anyway? was both humorous and sassy in his role as Lola the drag queen, Among the other leading cast members there was American Idol winner David Cook, who put on a profound performance as Charlie Price. Kirstin Maldonado, of the acapella group Pentatonix, was outstanding as Charlie’s destined love interest, Lauren. Although, the most impressive performances were given by the drag queens, their acrobatic, fast paced, dance routines in six inch heels… or maybe even higher, were jaw dropping. The overall message of the show was centered around the importance of accepting people for who they are, not to judge people based on their exterior, and to delve deeper into people’s pasts in order to find out how they’ve become the person they are. There is a reason why Kinky Boots is celebrating five years on Broadway, and it’s because of this timeless message.
October 2018 Page 31
ARTS
Send Me to the Island
The Honors Herald
Cyri e l l e Talla ‘21
On April 24th $5 Broadway tickets brought a group of Pace Honors students and staff to the Circle in the Square theater decked out with sand, hanging laundry, chickens and a goat. This was the set of the Broadway revival of Once on This Island. The actors each came out in character interacting with the audience and reminding them to turn off their phones before the show began. By 7:06 all of the characters were out and ready, the lights were dimmed down, a spotlight lit and the show began. This was a story about an orphaned girl named Ti Moune who strived for a better life on her island. When a young man from the rich side of the island is injured on the poor side, Ti Moune falls in love while nursing him to health. The gods of water, love, earth and death all get involved and Ti Moune is tested to see if her love will keep her alive. From the dance moves to the amazing songs, Once On This Island brought the audience to a warm beach and prestigious ballrooms throughout the 90-minute musical. The main character, Ti Moune was played by Hailey Kilgore, who was making her Broadway debut. Her beautiful singing projected around the entire theater with every strong ballad and rhythmic song. Kilgore was nominated for the Tony for Best Actress in a Leading Role. The musical itself received a total of 8 nominations including Best Revival Musical and Best Costume Design, and it won Best Revival. All in all, Once On This Island sets itself apart from other Broadway musicals not just because of the theater structure but because of the island feel that it provides the audience through the costumes, music and dancing. I would recommend this show to anyone looking for a Broadway musical, as it will make you smile beyond belief and send you into tears at the most unexpected moments.
October 2018
6 60 HONORS
Page 32
Questions in
The Honors Herald
Seconds
with the Honors Staff
We asked the Honors Staff the same 6 questions, and here are their responses. What is your favorite memory from last school year? Bill: Hiring Mohini Gobin and Prof. Anna Shostya to work with Honors. Dr. Shostya: The photo exhibit that I organized with my students who took my Economic Issues through a Photographer’s Lens class. Jackie: Travelling with Classic Civ to Greece and getting to know the students. Lindsey: Seeing students present their theses. Jess: Bill, Jackie, and I received the Star Award which is a recognition of contributions and improvements. Mohini: Sitting on stage at Radio City Music Hall and being there for the behind the scenes stuff at graduation. Sydney: Having a bunch of friends and even an old teacher of mine come and enjoy an immersive show I was working the box office for. Ezana: I spent the year studying abroad in Bosnia and Herzegovina. My all-time favorite memory is going on a trip with 700 other students from the Balkan region of Europe to Moscow, Russia! Cyrielle: Harry Potter Night because I saw how hard the Honors College goes for big events!
What is the best vacation you’ve ever been on? Bill: 2002 drive with family across the country: 32 days, 9,000 miles. Dr. Shostya: There is a magical little known place, called Lijiang in the Yunnan province in the south west of China. Jackie: Egypt was incredible! Lindsey: Probably to the beach. Jess: 2+ week solo trip to Paris, London, Nice, and Monaco. It was incredible and my first trip to Europe. Mohini: Hawaii the summer before my senior year of high school. Sydney: Hawaii. Ezana: While abroad, my best trip was when a group of friends and I went to Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul was the most beautiful city I have ever seen and I hope I get to go again! Cyrielle: Senior Trip with a couple of my friends to the coast of Madagascar to this place called St. Marie.
What is your favorite fall food? Bill: Pumpkin pie. Dr. Shostya: Apples! The ones I pick from the tree in the orchard, rub against my jeans and bite into, completely ignoring the germs, the flying insects, and the fact that it has to be actually paid for. Jackie: Halloween cupcakes from Entenmann’s. Lindsey: Pumpkin pie.
Jess: Apple pie! Mohini: Pumpkin muffins. Sydney: Apple pie or pumpkin bread. Ezana: The mini cinnamon nuggets from Auntie Anne’s (and also EVERYTHING from Auntie Anne’s). Cyrielle: All the soups. Just all the soups.
October 2018 Page 33
HONORS
The Honors Herald
What was the best thing you did this summer? Bill: Went to Amsterdam for a week. Our daughter Mary and her fiancé Roman flew from Ukraine. Dr. Shostya: I invited my cousin’s son (a 12 years old boy who lives in LA) to NYC and spent a week with him. We had a lot of fun together and Alex totally enjoyed it! Jackie: Travelling with students to Finland, Austria, and Slovenia for PdP and PiP. Lindsey: Spent hours in the hammocks on Governor’s Island. Jess: My trip to Europe and Arizona – both were beautiful and unforgettable experiences. Mohini: Going to former student aid Devina’s wedding with some of my Honors family. Sydney: Took a quick trip to Newport, RI to see all of the old mansions and spend time at the ocean. Ezana: I visited Kosovo for the first time and learned about the Albanian part of my culture. Prizren was extremely beautiful and I hope to go again! Cyrielle: I was an Orientation Leader so I was able to help welcome in all the freshmen to Pace.
What are you looking forward to the most this school year? Bill: Seeing how my Reacting games turn out (how many game-based casualties this year?) Dr. Shostya: I am looking forward to working closer with students. Being an Honors advisor is a new experience for me and I hope that it will What is your favorite fall activity? lead to the relations similar to those that came Bill: From college, on a bright October Saturday, in Stanford’s football stadium with a out of the study abroad groups that I led to cooler full of beer at my feet and all my friends China. sitting around me (primarily for the beer, I bet). Jackie: Getting to know our first year students. Dr. Shostya: A morning walk with my camera, Lindsey: Seeing the current batch of ideas to turn into theses. when the leaves are touched by the color, the air is pleasantly cool, and the birds are so busy Jess: Getting to know the first year students. talking to each other that they ignore my bright better. Mohini: Being an advisor for the first time! I’m yellow jacket. looking forward to learning about my advisee’s Jackie: Dressing up and decorating for passions. Halloween. Lindsey: Carving pumpkins. Sydney: Finalizing my thesis so I can stop Jess: If I’m not able to go to the beach then worrying about it. Ezana: Being able to take advantage of all of hiking! Mohini: Walking around the different parks, the opportunities that Pace has to offer! My host seeing the leaves change color. university had maybe 2% of extracurriculars, the Sydney: Apple picking. constant support, and endless opportunities that Ezana: Going to places such as the Hudson Pace offers! Valley (Sam’s Point) as well as Bear Mountain Cyrielle: I’m looking forward to hopefully getting or the Poconos with my family. involved in some kind of research. Cyrielle: Stomping on leaves. No leaf left behind.
October 2018
HONORS
Page 34
The Honors Herald
might
Death is not the answer
I feel like Hillary Duff in the
Everything’s fun until the lawyers get involved
Lizzie McGuire movie
I need to put you through charm school
You can ship bodies
I don’t eat rabbit food
If they are not dead, then they are healthy
Please come back with your cute friend I don’t know sorority signs I just know gang signs
October 2018
HONORS
Page 35
The Honors Herald
Yo u k n o w a p l a c e is v e g a n b e c a u s e t h e re ’s g r a s s o n the wall I’ll eat a bougie bug but not a d i r t y one .
Connecticut is like New Jersey Lite
l
Youaren’t tall youare just
Can y’all smell when I get out a meeting?
o n g
P l e a s e don’t make me have t o expense a shield
I k n o w a g u y t h a t c a n g e t y o u a t i g e r I don’t go around touching people…
Guys usually look older, like potatoes.
October 2018 Page 36
HONORS
The Honors Herald
HEATHER HALL ‘18
TRICIA WILSON ‘18
HIRED BY J.P. MORGAN FOR FULL-TIME POSITION AFTER GRADUATION
WORKING AT PRG NORTH AMERICA IN BROADWAY AUDIO AS AN ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
MONICA CASABONA ‘18 AWARDED THE LUBIN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AWARD
HALEY GENDELL ‘20
JULIA COLOSO ‘19
INTERNSHIP WITH VIACOM IN PROGRAMMING ACQUISITIONS
WORKING AT WARNER MUSIC AS A DIGITAL ACCOUNTS ASSOCIATE
October 2018 Page 37
SAM CASEY ‘19 WORKING AT CONCRETE TEMPLE THEATRE AS AN ARTISTIC ASSOCIATE
RICHMOND LANDICHO ’20 ACCEPTED TO THE O4U MARKETING CONFERENCE
HONORS
SOPHIE OLSZAK ‘20 BROOKLYNETTES DANCER
OLIVIA ANAKWE ‘19 MODEL FOR FASHION WEEKS IN NEW YORK, LONDON MILAN, AND PARIS
The Honors Herald
HOLLY WRIGHT ‘18 PERFORMED AT THE SIBIU INTERATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL IN ROMANIA
LAUREN TRAPANOTTO ‘11 ELECTED AS A NYS DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR THE 76TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
October 2018 Page 38
Bill’s
CORNER
FINALWORDS
The Honors Herald
“She said where d’you wanna go? How much you wanna risk? I’m not looking for somebody With some superhuman gifts Some superhero, some fairytale bliss Just something I can turn to, somebody I can miss Oh I want something just like this.” --The Chainsmokers and Coldplay, “Something Just Like This” video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM7MFYoylVs I was driving in to do an Open House to begin recruiting for the next group of Honors students who will arrive next fall. I heard this song on the radio, and said to myself—that’s the feeling I want to convey to all Honors students. We in Honors are not superheroes, and we can’t promise you bliss. We are something you can turn to, and we hope when you graduate, we’re something you can miss. But below, I give you something I wrote a few years ago about my college times. For you, I want something just like this.
“For me, college was magic. It was a time and place of great beauty and ideas, but more than anything else, it was a moment when I could become myself. I went without knowing what I was getting into, in terms of work, in terms of people, in terms of emotions. I only knew that I wanted, that I needed something different from the home, the neighborhood, the high school that had all set limits on me. And though I still carried within me all those boundaries, college let me, forced me beyond those limits. And I now had friends who would see me through. For me, college was painful. For the first time in my life, I suffered real failure, in courses that I didn’t understand (and ended up dropping to avoid bad grades), in jobs I wanted and couldn’t get, in relationships that I wanted and couldn’t get. . . . For all the gains, there were many losses. What we have in Honors is that chance, to look inside ourselves, for what is fragile, special and magic; for what is painful and testing. That’s all.”