Honors Student Sets Her Sights on a Career in Government

Gurbani Sian traveled around the world only to find a home at St. John’s University.

Born in Chandigarh, India, the first-year Government and Politics student at St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences emigrated with her family more than a decade ago to the Washington, DC, area, settling in Clarksburg, MD. An honors student in high school, she set her sights on St. John’s after a neighbor enrolled a year earlier.

She has found at St. John’s a welcoming community and support system that has made her transition to college seamless. “I always wanted to study in New York, and the more I got to know about St. John’s, the more intriguing the idea became,” Gurbani said. “My expectation was that everyone would be welcoming and help to provide opportunities for me to grow in my career plans; also, that I would meet people that I stay friends with for a long time. St. John’s has, in many ways, exceeded my expectations.”

Meet Gurbani Sian, Honors Student at St. John’s University 

A member of the University Honors Program, Gurbani aspires to a career in government, ideally in a policy evaluation role. While in high school, she participated in the American Legion Auxiliary’s Girls State seminar in Maryland, an experiential civics education program that included lessons in policymaking and government operations. Alumnae of the program include US senators, state senators, journalists, and authors.

Girls State was a transformational experience, said Gurbani, who has since secured two legislative internships, including one through St. John’s in the office of US Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY). The week culminated with Gurbani drafting and presenting a bill to the Girls State leadership committee to amend elements of the H-1B visa program. 

“I started by doing speeches while in high school,” Gurbani recalled. “The more I did, the more I realized how interested I am in government. Girls State offered a great deal of exposure to government, and with immigration, there is certainly plenty of policy work that can be done.”

Girls State also led Gurbani indirectly to St. John’s. Her eagerness to study government and politics at a well-regarded university in New York City—enhanced by her time in Girls State—put the University squarely on her radar. Even before she applied, she began considering which student clubs and organizations to join, especially Student Government, Inc. (SGI), for which she seems a natural fit. She is already a member of the Mock Trial team and serves as a Career Peer for University Career Services.

“I have talked with the leaders of Student Government,” Gurbani said. “They seem like great people, very welcoming.”

A Welcoming Experience at St. John’s University

It seems inevitable that Gurbani will join SGI. In the meantime, she is enjoying the adjustment to college life, including living in Donovan Hall, and being in the Honors Program. The demanding curriculum challenges high-achieving students while offering smaller class sizes, a more direct connection with professors and classmates, and vigorous class discussion. Students receive peer and staff mentorship, fostering a supportive and encouraging community of learners.

Gurbani speaks highly of the honors program, which is open to students of all majors. About 1,000 students are currently enrolled; students must maintain a 3.3 grade point average and complete 30 credits of honors-designated courses.

“It has been a good experience,” Gurbani said. “It is great to have mentorship, especially from someone close in age. It provides a valuable connection knowing that students in the program were in the same boat as me—adjusting to a new school and coming into a new environment.”

Her academic commitments do not allow Gurbani much time for herself. When she can unwind, she enjoys visiting Manhattan, NY, especially Broadway. Her fondness for the theater predates high school, and what better place to indulge it than in the Theater District?

Gurbani has been a singer most of her life, specializing in Indian classical music and opera. She even took part in talent competitions as a child, imagining one day she might join the “Great White Way” of Broadway.  

“I love musicals, I love Broadway,” Gurbani said. “I am focused on my future career, but I want to keep my hobbies for sure. It is the key to a balanced life.”

One show Gurbani is eager to see is Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton. The hip-hop story of the nation’s first Treasury Secretary—Alexander Hamilton—seems perfectly appropriate for a theater-loving future lawmaker.

“It seems so captivating,” Gurbani said. “I loved the music from Hamilton even in middle school. It is as much a cultural phenomenon as it is a Broadway musical.”