Tamara (known to all as Tami) Terzian, a life-long resident of
Queens, New York, has looked forward to attending St. John's
University since she entered high school at St. Francis Prep. The
close bond between the two schools made St. John's the perfect next
step in continuing her education, and when she received the offer
of a Presidential Scholarship, her decision was clear. As
salutatorian of her high school class, Tami gave the opening speech
at her graduation ceremony which, appropriately enough, was held in
Carnesecca Arena. She had no inkling of the myriad of opportunities
that lay in store for her in her first year at St.
John's.
The two years Tami spent as editor-in-chief of St. Francis Prep's
newspaper, The Seraph, sparked her interest in journalism,
leading her to enter the College of Professional Studies, in which
she has learned much about the field. She is currently exploring
her interests in journalism and public relations, hoping to make
use of and foster her skills and passion for writing and working
with
people.
To her delight, Tami immediately found many extracurricular
activities at St. John's similar to those she had participated in
at St. Francis Prep. Happy to discover something similar to the
liturgical ensemble she had sang in at the Prep, she joined the
Music Ministry Choir, and now sings for the student masses at St.
Thomas More Church on campus on Sunday evenings. She is grateful
for the spiritual growth she has experienced this year and for the
Christian community she has found through St. John's Campus
Ministry and InterVarsity Christian
Fellowship.
When she became one of the first flutes accepted into the St.
John's Pep Band this year, Tami gained a new appreciation for
sports and more specifically the St. John's athletic tradition.
Playing in the Pep Band has broadened her horizons from a high
school auditorium stage to the world-famous Madison Square Garden.
She even got to travel with the band this past March to play in
Oklahoma and California during the Women's NCAA Basketball
Tournament, watching St. John's history in the making as the women
made their first "Sweet 16"
appearance.
Tami considers the Honors Program an invaluable part of her St.
John's experience. She is grateful for the opportunities it has
provided her, both inside and outside the classroom. Whether it was
developing relationships that would span beyond the semester with
honors students and professors in her first semester speech,
theology, and Discover New York classes; attending various honors
social events, such as "Tea and Sympathy" meetings with Dr. Forman,
the Honors Freshman Welcome luncheon, and the Valentine's Day
cookie decorating party; or taking honors trips such as the one
where she learned about marine wildlife with fellow students aboard
a schooner on Oyster Bay, Tami feels the Honors Program has deeply
enriched her education from all angles. As a student worker in the
honors office, she is happy to be a part of what she considers "the
heart of the program," constantly meeting new honors students and
benefiting from the guidance of the Honors Program
administrators.
Tami is eager to begin her newly received student ambassador
position in the fall, so she can give tours of the campus and show
future students all of the opportunities St. John's has to offer
them, just as it has offered her.