One of them participated in service-based trips. Two of them studied abroad. Three of them interned.
All of them walked away with knowledge and experience they consider priceless.
SJC Long Island students Carly Credidio ’21, Amanda Graziano ’19, Summer Henriksen ’18, Jonathan Nostro ’19 and Alex Pushnick ’20 shared on Tuesday what they gained from their experiences during the “Constructing Your Future” event hosted by the Office of the Executive Dean and the Office of Career Preparation and Professional Development.
“There’s never too much you can learn about yourself,” said Credidio, who traveled to Houston, Texas, in 2018 for the College’s Alternative Spring Break and to Camden, New Jersey, last month during Alternative Winter Break. She will be traveling to Kure, North Carolina, with the College during this year’s ASB. “There’s always new things to find out. You might think you have it all together, but there’s always something you can work on. Being able to help others helped me grow as a person.”
Graziano gained a sense of independence while studying abroad in Italy last summer.
Henriksen improved her interview skills during her internship at Steve Bellone’s budget office.
Nostro, serving as a tax intern at Diapoules & Feinstein CPAs PC, quickly found out he needed to work on an area in which he thought he was already skilled.
“I thought I had great time-management… (but) no,” he said. “It’s only about learning what your weaknesses are and building upon those while you’re out in the field.”
While studying abroad in Greece and interning in Belize, Pushnick discovered his appreciation for other cultures through his immersion in local villages.
Learn more about the importance of off-campus life experiences in the video below.