Tamara Terzian

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.