For Maya Bayliss ’19 ’20, St. Joseph’s University, New York’s Brooklyn Campus was a place for self-growth.
Brooklyn Campus alumna Maya Bayliss ’19 ’20 is on the Brooklyn Cyclones dance team.
A graduate of the campus’ Accounting dual degree program — from she received a B.S. and M.S. in Accounting in just five years — Bayliss developed exponentially in the classroom, in her personal life, and as a dancer.
“My professors, whether it was during my years as an undergrad or graduate student, prepared me for life after graduation,” Bayliss said, as she reflected on her time at St. Joseph’s. “Yes, they taught us the needed material, but they also shared their own experiences and wisdom. I’m happy to say I wasn’t met with many surprises when I started working full time. I knew my information, I knew how to communicate alongside professionals, and most importantly how to build my career.”
Bayliss lives in Marine Park, Brooklyn, and works full time for Deloitte & Touché LLC in Manhattan, conducting auditing work in the firm’s risk and financial department. She is also on the Brooklyn Cyclones Dance Team.
Bayliss joined the Cyclones Dance Team in 2017, while still studying at St. Joseph’s. Although Bayliss always loved to dance — she’s a four-year veteran of the Brooklyn Campus’ Diamonds Dance Team — she never took professional lessons before trying out for the Cyclones. As a dancer for the Cyclones, Bayliss has a slew of responsibilities, in addition to singing and dancing. They include attending promotional events, holding contests during games and interacting with fans. She has even climbed into the Sandy the Seagull mascot costume.
Staying Connected to Her St. Joseph’s University Roots
At a recent Cyclones game, Bayliss reconnected with the St. Joseph’s Office of Alumni Engagement.
“It was a great surprise!” she said of reuniting with her alma mater during a game. “Sometimes, we tend to lose a relationship with our alma maters after we graduate, but having the ability to reconnect with the Alumni Engagement team allows me to continue making memories with the school, even after graduating.”
As a St. Joseph’s student, Bayliss loved connecting with the University community,v in and out of the classroom. To this day, Bayliss said she continues to cherish the campus’ club fairs — the perfect way to find a club or organization that fits students’ interests. In addition to joining the campus’ Dance Team, Bayliss was also a dedicated player on the soccer, tennis, and cross country teams. She also was a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority.
“I remember being a freshman and walking into the auditorium scared yet excited to sign up for as many things as I could,” Bayliss said of her first Brooklyn Campus club fair. “It helped me create and build a community at St. Joe’s.”
As she reminisced about her fond memories at St. Joseph’s, she shared advice for incoming freshmen:
“Build a community. Be social. Try to venture out of your comfort zone. So many of accomplishments during and after my college experience stemmed from me stepping out of ‘familiar waters’ and trying something new. My motto in life is to ‘Astonish yourself!'”
