I'm in the Music for Life LLC and all the kids on my floor either play an instrument or they sing. And it is so much fun because I'll just go into whoever's room and they'll be playing guitar and we'll just all start singing along. I love it! It was the best decision I've made. Now I’m thinking about minoring in vocal performance.

I thought about training as a Marine, but I knew my real passion was to work for the FBI in forensic science. My dream job is to be a federal agent. After Oneonta, I plan to apply for a master’s program in forensic technology with a certification in national security.

My dream job is to be a statistician for pro sports. I love math and I love sports, so if I could couple those two things into a job that I get to do for the rest of my life? I’d love nothing more – that would be incredible!

My best experience has definitely been the SUNY Oneonta Robert Noyce Scholars Program, which prepares science majors to be successful in teaching in high-need rural and urban schools. We go to New York City once a year for a week and go into inner-city schools to get the experience of what it's like to teach in a different area than we're used to, and kind of get the whole experience of living there and commuting in the city. That’s really opened my mind.

One of my best college experiences was meeting Bryan Stevenson when he came to SUNY Oneonta to deliver the Mills Distinguished Lecture. I’m listening to this man and I'm bawling. Just all the things he was saying. The thing he said that really touched me the most is that the people who are going to change the broken laws are the broken people. I cried and I could not stop crying until the lights came on. It was the validation I needed that I had chosen the right major and was on the right path

Just like our students are passionate about their activities, I’ve realized alumni are passionate about coming back and helping either through scholarship funds or just coming to give a presentation or have lunch with students. I have attended breakfasts and lunches and things like that. I'll remember those experiences forever. For someone like me – I come from a family who didn't go to college so I'm first-generation – having those people talk about their experiences and all that networking that is available to me is beyond anything I could ever imagine, honestly. So I'm very grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had on this campus.

I chose SUNY Oneonta because, when I visited campus, I felt this sense of community right away. I actually visited four times to decide. I received a scholarship, as well, so getting a great education at an affordable price was important to me. Ultimately, I fell in love with my academic departments. Coming to school here was the best decision I’ve ever made.

A moment that stands out was Pass Through the Pillars. Getting to see everyone cheering for you was so welcoming. A lot of the people I met there I ended up becoming good friends with. It’s a cool introduction to campus – you’re standing by the pillars that overlook all of campus, right near Fitzelle and Fine Arts, and it’s this big celebration. I’ll pass back through when I graduate, but I don’t want to leave yet.

My best experiences have definitely been within the Communication and Media Department, either with WIRE TV or with professors. I actually got to do independent research with professor Jackie Bruscella, and she's one of my greatest mentors here. At the SUNY Undergraduate Research Conference, I was the only Communication major out of any of the SUNY schools. That was one of the moments where it just made me reflect on how much I love my major and my mentors. I call it my defining moment.

One of my most memorable experiences so far was being elected the newest member of the Johnson City Village Board, making me the youngest elected official in Broome County and one of the youngest in the state. Part of what contributed to my success was my age. Having young people run for office isn’t something you see often, and I think people wanted to vote for a fresh voice. The professors at Oneonta have been really receptive to the idea of my campaigning and a great resource to talk to about policy and legislation, especially since some of them have backgrounds in campaign work and policy analyst stuff.

I was drawn to the campus -- the scenery and how pretty everything was. I wanted to get away from the city atmosphere and was ready for something a little more slow-paced. Who wants to see skyscrapers all day when you can have trees and different colored leaves and the change of seasons?

I have a curatorial internship at the A.J. Read Science Discovery Center on campus. So I basically do a little bit of everything, from designing exhibits and programs to actually doing hands-on things with the children who visit. I was the first anthropology major to work there, so I've been trying to incorporate as much anthropology into the exhibits as possible!