Nothing But Grateful
Since my last blog, I became the recipient of one of the scholarships at the School of Education. I am and continue to grateful for the faculty here and the community I am involved with. The questions posed to me were, ‘What first attracted you to William and Mary?’ and ‘Why did you select this university to pursue your Master’s degree?’ There were many reasons which influenced my decision, ranging from proximity to my home in New York to the excellent curriculum in place. However, what first drew me to William and Mary was the sense of community I felt at the Day for Admitted students. By the end of that day, I looked at my mom and said, ‘This is the place.’ She agreed wholeheartedly. Since that day, the sense of community has never left. Instead, it increased from the supportive faculty, from members of our cohort learning to rely on one another, and from the assistance from mentors who were a year ahead. It has been over a year since my first day of classes here. Currently, I maintain a leadership position in the counseling honor society, Chi Sigma Iota (CSI), Omega Mu chapter. Along with the rest of the board, we provide that same support and more for new counseling students. But where is the support for the board members of CSI and other organizations in the School of Education? That’s where the Graduate Education Association stepped in with a Leadership Summit. I was able to meet other members from the Higher Education Student Association, the Student Virginia Education Association, the William and Mary Educational Review, Counselors and Educators for Social Justice, and more. The summit allowed a space for us gain more information, bond, figure out ways to be resourceful to each other, and how we can support each other. I am very grateful for this because you would be surprised how few opportunities there are for us to see each other.
One of the highlights I enjoyed was TED talk we viewed which talked about the Lollipop Moment. It is a moment in which you may have unintentionally influenced and impacted another person’s life for the better. Often times those whose lives have been changed by your actions may not have the opportunity to tell you. But, trust me, it is an incredible feeling when they do. Is there anyone that has given you that Lollipop Moment? Have you told them yet? Well, what are you waiting for?
