The natural splendor of suburban Oregon is a continent away from
St. John’s University’s Queens, NY, campus. Even so, Oregon is
where Alia R. Bellwood first encountered the University
she soon would call home.
As a student at Hillsboro High School, outside Portland, Alia
attended two college fairs. The choices were varied, but her
attention kept returning to the representatives of one university
in particular. “St. John’s is the one that caught my eye,” she
says.
St. John’s reputation and New York City location were big draws,
Alia explains. Alia also liked the idea of attending a Catholic
university that celebrates diversity.
“I’m a Baptist,” Alia explains. “But I knew that a Catholic
institution like St. John’s would allow me to explore spiritual
values in a tolerant, diverse atmosphere.”
After visiting the University in her senior year, Alia decided
to apply. Now, having spent her first year at St. John’s
residential campus in Queens, a borough of New York City, Alia says
she “would have trouble going back” to a slower-paced
environment.
“It didn’t take me long to feel at home at St. John’s,” she
says. “I was a little nervous at first, but I loved living in the
residence halls. The students are very friendly, and living on
campus allows you to bond with your classmates. They become real
friends.”
Alia joined the Honors Program after she came to campus. “I
heard someone talking about all the advantages of the program,” she
says, “and it sounded great. I was so glad when I visited the
Honors Program office and found I could be part of the
program.”
For Alia, the Honors Program combines all the advantages of St.
John’s with a unique academic atmosphere. “The classes have a
close-knit feeling, and they’re very challenging,” she says. “The
professors are wonderful, and you really get to know them.”
Alia especially enjoyed taking an Honors section of St. John’s
acclaimed “Discover New York” course. The course, part of the
University’s core curriculum, lets students treat New York City as
a “living classroom.”
“I love wandering through Manhattan,” says Alia. “During my
‘Discover New York’ class, we visited different neighborhoods and
ate at different restaurants. I never had Brazilian food until this
class.”
Alia originally planned to major in business management at St.
John’s. After a semester in the Honors Program, however, she is now
interested in pursuing a liberal arts major. “I love history and
economics,” she says. “My courses have shown me how closely related
they are.”
Alia also is interested in Spanish. “After I graduated from high
school, my father let me visit Europe,” she says. “I actually
backpacked through Southern Spain, and I was able to practice my
Spanish on the streets of Madrid.”
Alia’s parents emphasized education and faith. Her father, an
observant Baptist, is a programmer at Serena, a leading software
company in Oregon. Her mother is a former physicist.
In high school, Alia and her sister both took International
Baccalaureate classes. They also participated in their high
school’s Model United Nations club. “Our teachers wanted us to be
global students,” she says. “That’s something you also see at St.
John’s. It’s another side to what makes this a great place to
study.”