Getting involved was the best way for SJC Brooklyn junior Drishti Kalia to immerse herself in the campus community and avoid being homesick.
Kalia, an India-native, moved to Brooklyn in the summer of 2017 to study psychology at St. Joseph’s. She always dreamed of moving to New York City, but it was intimidating to find a sense of community in her new home.
Now a junior, Kalia found a strong sense of community through the Office of Student Life and the long list of clubs and activities it offers. She is the president of the Psychology Club, vice president of the Asian Awareness Club, sits on the cultural committee for the International Students Union and is the treasurer of Dance Club. Additionally, she is running to be the next vice president of the Student Government Association and she is a member of the Dance Team.
“If you don’t get involved, you miss out on a lot of college experiences,” said Kalia, a member of the Academic Center for English Language Studies (ACES) program. “I found my community through my enrollment in activities at the College. If I didn’t have that involvement and community, I would be miserable and not have a full college experience.”
A Commitment to Intellectual Values
As a freshman, Kalia found an internship through a Job and Internship Expo, hosted by the Office of Career Preparation and Professional Development. She began interning at AHRC New York City, an organization serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and helped run a summer camp.
The company recognized her hard work and dedication to the psychology field and extended her internship well past that summer camp. She has been with the company for two years, working in the Manhattan, Bronx and Brooklyn offices.
“I really enjoy working there,” Kalia said. “It can be challenging sometimes because people have special behavior needs and it can be hard to have the patience for it.
“It’s a very eye-opening experience,” she continued. “I realized, for me, that I have become so much more patient and empathetic from talking to people at AHRC. I got a lot of life experience from it.”
