Olivia Cunningham
Olivia Cunningham is a Presidential Scholar majoring in journalism. She is a member of Chamber Music Society, the LEAD student leadership program, and a copy editor at the Torch newspaper. This list of extracurricular involvements would be enough to keep anyone busy, but somehow Olivia also finds time to devote to assisting at the Office of Alumni Relations and Student Support Services.
Oddly enough, the qualities that make St. John’s distinctive—its location in New York City and its strong Catholic and Vincentian identity—were exactly what Olivia wasn’t looking for, but these are the things that she has most come to love about her time here. She has enjoyed the spiritual aspects of St. John’s, regularly attending mass and campus ministry events at St. Thomas More Church on campus and spending her first spring break on a service trip to Appalachia. She plans on completing a minor in theology.
Going to school in New York City means than an adventure is always just around the corner. Olivia has explored Manhattan through various University and Honors Program events, including Dr. Forman’s walking tours, the annual Discover New York trip to Ellis Island, and guided tours of the Metropolitan Museum of Art conducted by several different faculty members.
Olivia knows that she will never forget her time at St. John’s University, no matter where she ultimately decides to direct her talents (perhaps marketing, print journalism, or homeschooling her children). Olivia will always appreciate the positive impact that St. John’s and the University Honors Program has had on her.
More Stories Like This
Despite facing challenges posed by an autoimmune condition, Alicia Furnari ’23CCPS, a soon-to-be double alumna of St. John’s, found unwavering support from the University. This fostered her growth as a Hospitality Management undergraduate, and later, as a graduate student and rising star in the hospitality industry.
Audrey O’Connor, a Biology major and Chemistry minor in St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, spent last summer researching Celiac disease as part of a 10-week research program at Colorado State University.
Inspired by a deep passion for history and culture, Maria Wood, a dual-degree student in the M.A. in Public History and M.S. in Library and Information Science program in St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, created “The Ellis Island Experience,” a field trip guide for Ellis Island, one of the country’s most iconic landmarks.