by Sarah Novak on December 15, 2010
I am well aware of the fact that I talk about my undergrad Alma Maters frequently. And some of you may even be thinking, jeez, why doesn’t she just move on from college and embrace her adult life. And I probably would … if I had gone to a ‘normal’ school. But quite honestly, there is nothing normal about the St. Ben’s/St. John’s experience.
The unique energy of that place seeps into your soul over the 4 years on campus and continues to course through your veins long after. This is so much more powerful than drinking the kool-aid (which wears off when you’re not physically present there anymore), this is embodying it on a whole different level. You leave changed. I’m sure this sounds cryptic to some, but I’m just never going to be able to explain it well enough for you to ‘get it’. I can only hope that you’ve had a similar transformational experience in your life that you can never shake off.
And so now you understand why I feel compelled to keep sharing stuff… because it’s still a part of me (even 12 years later)!
And now, the latest set of oh-so-creative pics for the new student viewbook, depicting all the wonderful facets of life at St. Ben’s/St. John’s. For the full set of photos, GO HERE.
by Sarah Novak on October 30, 2010
It was a joyful week here in Manila. I had the privilege of hosting a recruiter from my Alma Mater, the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University. She was only here for 5 days, so we ended up with a pretty jam-packed schedule. It was worth it though because we made a TON of connections with potential students!
Some of the highlights for me were:
- Hosting a potential student for dinner at my house and spending the night sharing my favorite memories from my time at St. Ben’s/St. John’s.
- Returning to one of the International Schools for a presentation and seeing the kids faces light up as they recognized me from the last time I visited (5 out of the 6 that attended had already heard me talk about the school and were just coming back for more information). It totally warmed my heart…
- Having a potential student thank us for opening their eyes to this option of study and saying it would be a dream to attend.
- Shocking potential students with the amount of scholarships they’d be eligible for (most International students are exempt from receiving scholarships at US schools)
- Visiting a Benedictine monastery in town and sharing lunch with 2 St. John’s grads who are spending 9 months here as part of the Benedictine Volunteer corps.
When all is said and done, I think we’ll have 3-4 applications being submitted from the Philippines. I can’t tell you how delighted that number makes me, especially since I know what richness these incredible students will bring to campus. I’m feeling really proud that I’ve found an impactful way for me to continue enriching the campus for the next 20 years, even though I’m far away! I am never going to let distance be an excuse for why I can’t make a difference…
by Sarah Novak on August 26, 2010
I know, I know. Another day of CSB/SJU stuff! Too bad – it’s close to my heart! This should be the end of the CSB/SJU love-fest (at least for a few days). Besides, these videos were just too good NOT to share. Be sure and watch as many as you can…. it’s a 4 part series!
by Sarah Novak on August 25, 2010
I’ve noticed that despite having seasons, my body still senses when changes are supposed to be happening (even when they’re not). Never is this more true than around the start of school. I think we’re all hard-wired to reset at this time of year…. and honestly, I like it. This year, I’m giving myself a little boost by spending my entire month of September back in Minnesota enjoying the changing environment. Words cannot express how excited I am to get a break from endless summer!
One thing I also notice about this time of year is how much I long to go back to College again. Although that time was life-changing, on a deeper level I sense that what I’m actually longing for is the transformation that period represented (and the feelings it produced as a result). Happily, that is something I can create RIGHT NOW in my current conditions, without needing to magically rewind time!
So, in celebration of this first day of classes at CSB/SJU, my invitation to you is to look at your life and see what is longing to be transformed in your current existence. I’ve decided to provide you with a little inspiration via this incredible video (made by the student orientation team) that perfectly captures the energy and excitement of the transformation that happens during College.
