“My intellectual growth and leadership ability have been greatly
enhanced by the experiences and people I’ve met at St. John’s,”
says Carolina Aguasanta ’08 Ed. Now a site manager for the national
early literacy organization,
Jumpstart, Carolina is responsible for training college
students to work with young children from low income families to
build language, literacy and social relations skills from
pre-school age. She believes it was the care and guidance of the School of Education
faculty that got her to where she is today: “In part, I attribute
my success as a site manager to the mentorship and dedication of
The School of Education faculty and administration.”
Carolina says the warm welcoming environment of The School of
Education is what she loved most about attending the University,
“Right away, I was welcomed into The School of Education as a
member of its closely-knit family. It is truly my alma
mater.” Carolina mentions Assistant Dean Charisse Willis as
being her faculty mentor who encouraged her to pursue her dreams of
working with children and inspired her to make a difference in the
lives of others: “Under the guidance of my faculty mentor, Charisse
Willis, I achieved and exceeded many of the dreams and expectations
I had of college. Dean Willis was my role model; an important
source of valuable information; and most importantly, the person
who helped me realize my potential. She nurtured my creativity,
thoughtfully received my ideas and encouraged me to be a
leader.”
Being a member of the St. John’s community influenced Carolina
to live out the Vincentian mission of serving
others long after graduation, “At St. John’s I learned that in
order to bring about meaningful change in another person’s life,
you must show them that you care. Working for Jumpstart has given
me the chance to show the children we work with that I care about
their well-being and futures.”