January 31, 2011
From the
moment that Aryanna Whitten ’13CPS received her acceptance letter
to St. John’s University, she knew that she was about to embark on
the experience of a lifetime, and couldn’t wait for it to
begin.
“I decided to come to St. John’s because it had great diversity
and a wide range of academic programs to choose from,” she said. “I
had narrowed my choice to between Boston University and St. John’s,
and what really impressed me were our University’s core values. Not
a lot of other schools have such a deep connection to trying to
better us as people, using the Vincentian values. That stuck with
me because I really hold those values close to my heart. That’s
what initially brought me here, and right from the start I found
out that St. John’s had so much to offer me.”
It didn’t take long for this outgoing young woman to realize
that she had chosen a university that was perfect for her. From her
earliest days on campus, she was eager to participate in the many
academic, cultural and spiritual opportunities that contribute to
the life-changing nature of the St. John’s experience.
One such offering is Discover the World, a popular study abroad
program in which students spend an entire semester immersed in the
languages, cultures and communities of three countries, allowing
them to gain a broader understanding of the issues shaping our
changing world.
For Whitten, taking advantage of this unique initiative was
something she wasn’t about to pass up. Her family was born in the
Caribbean, and even though she’s been back and forth a number of
times, this will be the first time she’ll be traveling to countries
with cultures vastly different from her own.
“I’m going
to be in the Discover the World Program in Rome, Paris and Spain,”
she said. “When I found out that St. John’s offered this program, I
knew that I had to use it to my advantage because a lot of people
don’t get the chance to study abroad. I’ve never been to Europe,
and I really want to become more open-minded, gain more experiences
and meet new people. I know that when I get back, my whole outlook
on life will have changed, not only intellectually but also
personally.”
She is one of the first in her family to go to college, and her
proud parents agree that participating in this program is an
opportunity not to be missed.
“My mom supports my decision because she thinks that in order
for me to be successful as a student, I need to broaden my
horizons. But she’s also very protective and I know that she’ll
miss me a lot. We have technology these days to keep us all
connected, and my mom is comfortable with using that technology, so
I know that we’ll stay connected.”
As a student worker in the Office of Institutional Advancement
Communications, Whitten is well aware of the numbers of alumni who
have made a commitment to offer assistance and support to current
students. During the past semester she served as a Student Insider
in the Alumni Insider’s View…Program (AIV), sharing her comments on
video about the AIV events in which alumni offered their personal
experiences and expertise to help students make the most of their
time at St. John’s.
“Our alumni are great because when they come back they really
help the students, and we can build a relationship with them. They
don’t just give their money, they also give of themselves, which is
really nice. They tell us all how the world really is, how the job
market is, and give us great advice about what we need to do to be
successful, both in college and afterwards when we’re starting our
careers.”
She is deeply appreciative of the alumni whose generosity helps
to defray some of the costs of participating in Discover the World
for students like her.
“I know that the students who are going with me to Europe are
very grateful to the alumni for helping us out,” she remarked. “For
many of us, the financial assistance that we receive determines
whether we go or not, and that money truly makes a difference. The
alumni need to know that their gifts are going to a good use, and
directly helping the students to better themselves in a lot of
ways. For myself and many students like me, taking advantage of
everything that St. John’s has to offer is our way of showing our
appreciation for everything that has been made available to us
through the generosity of our donors.”
You can follow Aryanna Whitten’s experiences in Europe by
visiting her weekly blog at www.stjohns.edu/alumni/discover.