St. John’s Student Develops Community through University Clubs and Organizations
During her college search, student Natalia R. Acevedo happily discovered she could easily tick off the boxes when it came to seeing how St. John’s University measured up with her requirements for an ideal experience in higher education. Topping her criteria were a highly diverse faculty and student body, as well as being in her beloved New York City.
“Service can look like giving the homeless person you pass on your commute money and food, but it can also be making anything you’re involved in as equitable as possible.”
But it was during her first in-person visit to the Queens, NY, campus that Natalia, of Nutley, NJ, found an especially crucial necessity for a successful college career. “Once I visited the campus, I felt a sense of calm. That’s how I knew it was exactly where I was supposed to be,” said the senior, who expects to graduate in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration and Public Service from St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
During her initial weeks as a commuter student, Natalia was concerned about how she would establish friendships since she didn’t live on campus. “I took full advantage of the Student Activities Fair and joined every organization I was interested in.”
“I spent my free time during my first year running from club meeting to club meeting, hoping to find people I could make a connection with,” she recalled. “Luckily, this paid off because the members of these clubs were the people I leaned on heavily when we all had to study and interact completely online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three years later, we continue to be close friends.”
She found community and fellowship by donating her time and talents to organizations such as the President’s Society—the University’s highest honor society—as well as the Latin American Student Organization and the Student Equity Workshop program.
Natalia also developed a strong commitment to service activities through her efforts as Assistant Chair of Student Government, Inc.’s Service Committee. She writes cards and performs other outreach activities focused on military veterans, and fundraises for various charitable causes. She also organizes donation drives for Operation Christmas Child for the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.
“For me, St. John’s solidifies the notion that service is a way of life, not just something you do once a month,” she said. “Christians believe that we are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus, which means this must be a daily posture. Service can look like giving the homeless person you pass on your commute money and food, but it can also be making anything you’re involved in as equitable as possible.”
“Asking how I can ensure the people I interact with feel safe and welcome—and what power I have to change things when this is not the case—is a bold act of service that I definitely take with me in my future endeavors.”
