Thriving at CSB+SJU

As a senior on campus, the question I have encountered most frequently throughout my college experience is some variation of why I chose to come to CSB+SJU. Over the years, I have responded to this in different ways. Within each response, I discussed the opportunities available on and off campus, through programs, clubs, departments, visitors and the alumni network. During my fly-in, I was exposed to the possibilities that awaited me if I enrolled, and once I got to campus in the fall of 2019, I began making them a reality.

My undergraduate experience at CSB+SJU has afforded me numerous firsts. My first time canoeing across a lake was on Lake Sag within my first few weeks on campus. My first football game was at Clemens Stadium while working as a student ambassador. I remember that it was the first Saturday in October and also the first snow, signaling that my first Minnesota winter was on its way. My first time tube sledding happened in my first year at Powder Ridge thanks to SALD. That same year, I attended my first NBA game, and the Timberwolves won. On a less celebratory note, I also experienced my first (and hopefully last) global pandemic. Sophomore year was underscored by the pandemic, and life on campus became mostly dull. Still, I did my best to seek out opportunities on campus. In that year, I served as a resident assistant on Mary 1. I got accepted to the Summer Leadership Fellows for the first time as a Jackson fellow. I got accepted into my study abroad program in London. I ran for Senate and was elected as the student activities representative. I finished all of my Fine Arts Experience requirements and, as a result, got more into classical music. While in London, music, art and theatre were central themes, and I visited many orchestra performances, musicals, plays and museums. Mixed in with my classes, I was exposed to London work culture while interning with Ashden, a global climate change charity.

I adopted several personas during my time across the pond. The first was that of a photojournalist, which led me to explore London through its people, food, architecture, street markets, graffiti tunnels and fashion. The second was as a sustainable fashion enthusiast thrifting around the city and even getting featured by @wearesecondlifefashion on Instagram. When I got back on campus in Spring 2022, I served as co-chair of the Joint Club Board and got familiar with campus clubs by attending meetings and events. I was invited to my first Native Drum ceremony at White Earth Reservation with the Indigenous Student Association, and while there I met Joe Lagarde, an extraordinary individual who has been at the forefront of Indigenous rights activism for decades.

Our campuses frequently welcome prominent figures from all backgrounds. In my time here I have met and engaged with Leah Thomas, Heid E. Erdrich, Siyubelela Mandela, Winona LaDuke, Kendra Allen, Sun Yung Shin, Crystal Moten and many others. These connections have informed my own activism and creative exploits. Now, in my senior year, I am still experiencing firsts on these campuses. I began senior year with a desire to make my first submission to The Record, which has flourished into multiple contributions. Within the past few days, I have roller skated and snowboarded for the first time. This year has afforded me multiple opportunities to express myself on stage in front of a live audience. It has sent me to Sharm El Sheikh Egypt for my first United Nations global climate conference. It has led to achievements like presenting on my research and having my poetry displayed in the Multicultural Center. Reflecting on all of these experiences, I conclude the following: The question should not be why I chose to attend CSB+SJU, but rather, how I have made these campuses a place where I can thrive both as a student and as an individual.