Kristin Schenk
"The words I chose are empathy, compassion, persistent, and open. For as long as I can remember, I have been an extremely emotional person. Even my friends joke about the fact that I cry all of the time. In some ways, being as open and empathetic as I am brings hardships, but also can bring a lot of light and healing. Connecting to people in this way is such a beautiful thing, but it also used to be very isolating, especially when I found myself in difficult times. The more I embrace the way I feel, my needs, and myself, the happier I have become and easier it is for me to reach out to others."
Hannah Schreffler
"My words were strength, perseverance, compassion and gentleness. My words are two-fold: two of them I am, and two of them I aspire to be. I am much stronger than I ever thought I would be. I have been beaten down and discouraged and have had my fair share of doors slammed in my face, but I kept moving along. I found Westminster the summer before my senior year and immediately I knew that this was my school. The year leading up to my final decision to attend was filled with hard talks about money and what I would ultimately give up to be a student here; every day I had every reason to say that I could have taken the cheaper and easier way out, but I was determined to get as many scholarships as possible to be where I knew I always belonged. As far as compassion and gentleness go, I do my best to understand others and to treat them with kindness and respect every day. To me, it is so vital to have a gentle spirit in today’s society. Countless blogs inspire me again and again: a soft heart in a cruel world is courage, not weakness. 'And she will gaze at everything with childish wonder and fascination.'"
Michelle Palladino
"The words I chose for this project are Loving, Dedicated, Sincere, and Bashful. These are character traits that I admire about myself. I love being there for others and going out of my way to make someone else's day better and brighter. I tend to be shy and am not very outspoken, but I am not afraid to reach out to somebody in need."
Brianna Super
"'My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.' -Maya Angelou
Passion. Life. Loss. Music. In the past year, I have learned more about who I am and who I want to be than in all my other years combined. I have always been passionate about the things I love, especially music, but I never truly understood how vital those things were to me as a human being. This past summer I lost my lifelong best friend, Kelly, to suicide. Losing Kelly quite literally turned my world upside down, and her passing took a part of me that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get back. Although I would easily trade anything in this world to have her back, I know I cannot change the past. Instead, I have devoted each day to cherishing my life to honor hers. Since losing her, I have become more passionate about everything in my life. I’m at a point now where I don’t see a point in doing anything unless it’s important to me, and I give everything that I do 110%. This has become my favorite part of myself. Only doing what your passionate about makes life more authentic and enjoyable. You never feel like you’re wasting time, and you never feel like something isn’t worth it. Putting all my care into doing what I love, especially music, is my way of putting beauty into a world that can look very ugly at times. Although this past year has been hard, I am learning to trust the journey even when I don’t understand it."
Passion. Life. Loss. Music. In the past year, I have learned more about who I am and who I want to be than in all my other years combined. I have always been passionate about the things I love, especially music, but I never truly understood how vital those things were to me as a human being. This past summer I lost my lifelong best friend, Kelly, to suicide. Losing Kelly quite literally turned my world upside down, and her passing took a part of me that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get back. Although I would easily trade anything in this world to have her back, I know I cannot change the past. Instead, I have devoted each day to cherishing my life to honor hers. Since losing her, I have become more passionate about everything in my life. I’m at a point now where I don’t see a point in doing anything unless it’s important to me, and I give everything that I do 110%. This has become my favorite part of myself. Only doing what your passionate about makes life more authentic and enjoyable. You never feel like you’re wasting time, and you never feel like something isn’t worth it. Putting all my care into doing what I love, especially music, is my way of putting beauty into a world that can look very ugly at times. Although this past year has been hard, I am learning to trust the journey even when I don’t understand it."
Christina Han
"My words were: Independence, unapologetic, musical.
Growing up as an only child of an immigrant family was tough. I grew up in a predominantly conservative Italian-American/Asian immigrant pocket of Queens, New York where I was always taught to be a certain way: to look, act, and love "ordinarily". In fact, my name was normal enough that I was the youngest of five Christina's or Christine's. Luckily, I had fallen in love with classical music from an early age, and I was able to express myself through art- no longer being this cookie cutter Korean-American girl. Through music, I learned to be unapologetically myself and through this college experience at Westminster, I am learning to be a new kind of independent away from my normal family and friends. Finally, I am embracing the fact that I am a proud woman of color and a member of the LGBTQ+ community that will not bow down to anyone."
Growing up as an only child of an immigrant family was tough. I grew up in a predominantly conservative Italian-American/Asian immigrant pocket of Queens, New York where I was always taught to be a certain way: to look, act, and love "ordinarily". In fact, my name was normal enough that I was the youngest of five Christina's or Christine's. Luckily, I had fallen in love with classical music from an early age, and I was able to express myself through art- no longer being this cookie cutter Korean-American girl. Through music, I learned to be unapologetically myself and through this college experience at Westminster, I am learning to be a new kind of independent away from my normal family and friends. Finally, I am embracing the fact that I am a proud woman of color and a member of the LGBTQ+ community that will not bow down to anyone."
Kevin Schneider
"Self-love has been nothing short of a struggle for me. From coming out, struggling with an undiagnosed anxiety disorder for all of my teen years, and suffering through an alcoholic and emotionally abusive parent, it has made it hard for me to be kind to myself. I never wanted anyone to feel how broken I felt, so I always reminded all of my friends and family that they are loved. That they are worthy of love. It wasn't until about two years ago that I was able to find the things in my life that I did love about myself. Most importantly, I've learned that my ability to be loyal, caring, and loving to others is what I love most about myself. Sometimes reminding yourself that you can love others is the best way to love yourself."
Jessica Dalrymple
"I chose to take my picture in the Playhouse to show my love and commitment to theater since I was in the 6th grade. I auditioned for any and all plays I could every year. The three words I've chosen for my story are resilience, determination, and effort. I came from a high school with a lot of talent in the performing arts department, especially theater. While I loved working with such talented people during rehearsals, audition processes for productions became very competitive, especially when there were cuts. I often did not earn leading roles as often as some of my classmates, which disappointed me at first. However, I soon learned that even if I was not cast in a certain production, I could help out in other ways. For example, in 2015, my high school put on a production of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," but I was not cast. Almost immediately after I found out, I signed up to do tech, and I ended up helping out with set design on some days after school and during my April vacation. Also, my high school puts on a one-act play festival every December which is hosted by the seniors in the theater department. Underclassmen are allowed to audition, but I was never cast. I helped some of the upperclassmen with the lighting and sound for two years, and my hard work did not go unrecognized. My drama teacher was very impressed with my technical theater skills. In addition to my resilience, I also put in so much effort when preparing for auditions. I was determined to one day get a lead in a school production. During the fall of my senior year, my high school put on a production of "Grease," and I got to play the role of Jan! I was so happy that my hard work had finally paid off and that other people were starting to recognize it. Many kids at my high school have told me that I am an inspiration to them because of my work ethic. If you work hard and you keep pushing through, then good things will happen."
John Vandevert
"When I was younger, I was always on my own. But as I grew up, I started to realize I wasn't alone. I had music, and wherever the music was, I was there too. Music and I became best friends, and whenever I met someone who loved music, we could always feel like lost friends because music connected us in a deep way. Anyone can sing, and the fact that anyone can do it is so powerful. My words were bravery, peers, confidence, and community. Each one of these words are connected to the other. Without one, you don't have the other. Bravery comes through confidence, and confidence can be achieved when you know you have self worth. The community, such like Westminster, empowers each one of us to have self-worth and a sense of pride in what we do, if that be singing, playing an instrument or a mixture of anything. The fourth word is powerful to me, because who you have around yourself can determine if the other 3 words go together. Peers can be friends or anyone who you have around who you work with towards a greater goal. For me, it is becoming an opera singer, and when I have people around me who share the same goal, it feels good. I feel confident, I feel happy, and most importantly I feel like I belong. At Westminster, our community fosters bravery, and each one of our peers helps each other to become a more beautiful and confident person. Welcome to Westminster Choir College."
Hannah Dittloff
"My words are loving, passionate, and determined. I have always been someone who gives incredible amounts of love into my relationships with people. I try to have an endless supply of love to give out to the people I care about deeply, because I feel they deserve it. I love hard, and I think that is what has gotten me where I am today. Through many hard months of counseling, I finally accept who I am: someone who feels everything intensely and is super aware of others. While many things have happened in my life that have made me want to stop caring and to just give up completely, I remember the people I love and it keeps me going. I believe so strongly that love is what keeps us going. It is such a powerful emotion comprised of so many different emotions. The word “love” relates immediately to "passionate" in my life. I find myself becoming passionate with everything I do; I do not give less than 100% ever. Therefore, I am determined. Determined to succeed, determined to improve, determined to love and to keep going. Maybe I love, care, and feel too much. But I think that’s better than to not love and feel at all. Love empowers."
Bethany Sims
"The words I chose for myself were loyal, determined, and passionate. I think those words are fairly accurate for every aspect of my life, whether it be my personal life, professional life, family life, student life, or with my friends. I have always been the one who makes sure everyone else is taken care of and happy, and I think that is where the determination and loyalty come into play. I don’t quit when things get hard, and I stick by people through thick and thin if need be. I also love to have a hand in as well as witness success in others’ lives – which I think is where the passion comes from; it certainly explains why I would want to be a teacher. Having a part in the growth of others, whether it is mental, spiritual, physical, or educational, has always driven me to be a better version of myself. Overall, I think each word I chose goes hand-in-hand with each other – almost as if I couldn’t have one without the other. I’m grateful for each of these traits and the opportunity I have to share them with others and hope to continue sharing for many years!"
Casey Wichman
"The first thing people notice when they see me is my hair; it's big, it's curly, and it's bouncy. When I think of my hair, I'm reminded of what I value most, which is fun! It's especially important for me to remember to have fun and let myself be silly, especially in a time when there's so much stress and anxiety swimming around in my brain. My hair definitely helps me do that; when it's free and out, I feel like I don't have a care in the world. Being fun and spontaneous (and having great hair) is a crucial part of who I am."
Alexa Lucchesse
"I've always been a self conscious person but something that I am really proud of, no matter what, is my passion for everything I do. Whether it's school, music, or anything else, I won't stop until I've reached as far as I can go. And I have my amazing family to thank for this. They always give me the courage to go after what I believe in. Because I'm so passionate, I am also very enthusiastic about the things that make me happy. I am enthusiastic in my daily life about pretty much anything! Whether it's because I saw a good friend passing by, or I got an A on a paper, or maybe just because the sun was shining that day, I'll always have the biggest smile on my face! My passion and my enthusiasm allow me to be a very sensitive person. I used to feel like maybe that wasn't such a good thing. My mother always tells me, "You wear your heart on your sleeve". But, now, I think that it is a really good thing. I may feel too much sometimes, but I also have the ability to open myself up - to people, to new ideas, to what the world has to offer. I am a person who has so much love in their heart. I think the ability to love is the greatest feat for the human race."
Lindsey Reinhard
"The I LOVE project immediately sparked my interest when I heard about it from Kelly. Anything that encourages self-love and expression in a community is a positive force in my book. The words that I chose to define me were softhearted, joyful, and grounded. I have always been one to wear my heart on my sleeve, and I strive to radiate joy and warmth every day. Since a young age, I have always been grounded in who I am as a daughter, a friend, a musician, and a citizen of the world. I hope that my part in this project will further demonstrate my love for the Westminster community and for humanity at large, especially in such a trying time."
Ashley Dupont
"Life is revealed as a place to contribute and we as contributors. Not because we have done a measurable amount of good, but because that is the story we tell." - Benjamin Zander
My greatest success in life derives from my faith in possibility. Possibility being the world, the mind-set, with which I live in. Upon hearing about this project and signing up I chose three words that I felt told my story the best; Honesty, Passion, and Strength These three words are so important to me because they represent the parts of myself that are whole and pure. I have trouble describing myself because I feel words do me no justice. If you've met me then you know that my actions and my presence speak louder than my words. Below I explain the importance of each of these words and how they are "fundamentally" me.
Honesty - I believe that being true to yourself and never apologizing for who you are is incredibly important.
Passion - I hold a great devotion to music making and music education. There is nothing that I am more passionate about than those two subjects. I'm often overwhelmed with ideas and instruction all the time.
Strength - It's no lie that I've been through a lot in my life so far. I've overcome many obstacles and challenges to get to where I am today. Along the way I've found myself to be full of strength, now, more than ever. I accept the successes, failures and downfalls I have overcome - these only push me to be courageous.
I am so grateful to have been a part of this project. I have not felt more loved by myself in quite some time.
My advice to those reading -
Always be strong. Always overcome. Always be honest. Always be kind.
Life is arduous and takes us places we have never been. It can be intimidating and it can bring pain...
Above all, remember to be you. Be wholly you - and love, love, love."
My greatest success in life derives from my faith in possibility. Possibility being the world, the mind-set, with which I live in. Upon hearing about this project and signing up I chose three words that I felt told my story the best; Honesty, Passion, and Strength These three words are so important to me because they represent the parts of myself that are whole and pure. I have trouble describing myself because I feel words do me no justice. If you've met me then you know that my actions and my presence speak louder than my words. Below I explain the importance of each of these words and how they are "fundamentally" me.
Honesty - I believe that being true to yourself and never apologizing for who you are is incredibly important.
Passion - I hold a great devotion to music making and music education. There is nothing that I am more passionate about than those two subjects. I'm often overwhelmed with ideas and instruction all the time.
Strength - It's no lie that I've been through a lot in my life so far. I've overcome many obstacles and challenges to get to where I am today. Along the way I've found myself to be full of strength, now, more than ever. I accept the successes, failures and downfalls I have overcome - these only push me to be courageous.
I am so grateful to have been a part of this project. I have not felt more loved by myself in quite some time.
My advice to those reading -
Always be strong. Always overcome. Always be honest. Always be kind.
Life is arduous and takes us places we have never been. It can be intimidating and it can bring pain...
Above all, remember to be you. Be wholly you - and love, love, love."
Rhiannon Charney
"When you've lived for years in a life or death battle with depression and body dysmorphia, it's hard to find things that you like about yourself, let alone love. It was in my journey to happiness that I discovered my favorite trait about myself, resilience. I know that I may never recover from my mental illnesses, but I do know that no matter how slowly I go, the most important thing is that the direction I am traveling is forward. Which brings up my next word, hope. I have hope that I will live to see the sunrise and sunset another day. I have hope to see the good in myself and others. I want to give hope to others who are struggling or have struggled just like me that they can and they will be be happy. One trait that has helped to give me hope is my sense of humor. I believe that people who have had the worst experiences in their lives always have a great sense of humor because laughter is the best medicine to heal a wounded soul. When I notice something that I don't like about myself, I try to turn it into something positive by making a joke or a witty comment and making others laugh. To be able to stare my imperfections in the face and see myself objectively has been a long time coming, but without the giggles I get from myself and others, I wouldn't be as happy as I am today."
Julie Hemmingway
"The words I choose were Growth, Confidence, and Self-Love. All my life, I was never someone who had a lot of confidence in myself. All throughout middle school and part of high school, I would latch on to the personality of my closest friend in hopes that it would make people like me more. Within the past year, I've had to get over a very tough ending of my first long-term relationship. Although the relationship had a lot of ups to it, it also had a lot of downs. Especially towards the end, I found it difficult to find beauty in myself: mentally and physically. I felt that I could not find who I truly wanted to be and do the things I really wanted to do. This breakup was hard because it was the first time in two years that I was on my own. It was the first time I didn't have anyone to think about but myself. Throughout trying to find myself, I made a lot of very bad mistakes... mistakes that I will never forgive myself for. But in making these mistakes, I grew. Little by little, day by day, I grow more confident, more independent, and more conscious of who I am as a person. I begin to love myself more, and even begin to smile as I look at myself in the mirror. In these past 9 months, I've learned how to love myself. I've learned to love my strengths as a person. I've learned to love and appreciate my talents as a musician. I've learned to love my personality. I've learned to love my weaknesses and learning disabilities. I've learned to love my imperfect body that makes me who I am. I am not perfect, and I know that I am always learning, but now I know that it is okay to love yourself in the process."
Bryan McClary
"Passion, Dedication, Caring, Friendly.
For me these words are what I live by. I am dedicated to everything I do, and I'm passionate about what I do. For me, Friendliness comes naturally, I want to become friends with everyone. I just like to be around people because in high school, I was a loner type until senior year."
For me these words are what I live by. I am dedicated to everything I do, and I'm passionate about what I do. For me, Friendliness comes naturally, I want to become friends with everyone. I just like to be around people because in high school, I was a loner type until senior year."
Megan O'Connor
"Strength. Courage. Power. These are the first three words I hear when I think of myself and the battles I have faced. Being diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at ten was tough at first, but I eventually came to accept it. Unfortunately, I had to quit dancing and basketball because of this disease, resulting with a new love for music. Even though I had taken voice lessons since I was eight, I ended up falling in love with music even more after the diagnosis. At that age, I decided that I would be a music educator, and I am so grateful for the way my life turned out. Growing up with a physical illness was tough, but I had the strength, courage and power to get past it. I tell myself daily that I will always have my strength with me, and I can overcome anything that comes at me."
Brandon DeHoff
"Love is the light that never loses its shine. It's the warmth of a mother's touch, it's the caress of a lover, and it's the tune to which all things revolve around. We can choose to shut love out, or we can choose to accept it and live a life not afflicted with hatred and anger. Inviting love into your life transcends us as healthier, more connected human beings. And that is why my words are love, acceptance, and ascension so I can live a life uninhibited."
Jillian Corn
"My mother and father have always taught me to be strong. They have instilled strength in me since the day I was born. Both have always taught me to express myself and to never apologize for being who I am. They have shown me that knowledge is strength and with it, I can accomplish anything. Growing up, I noticed that not all people were raised in the manner I was. It became very apparent that expressing my opinion made me a target. I quickly morphed into “that bitch.” The name calling wasn’t even what made me angry. It was the idea that being a female and expressing my thoughts made people feel the need to try tear me down. I knew that boys weren’t called names for aggressively sharing their opinions, so it never made sense to me why I was. I had always heard about feminists, but never really knew that I was one until high school. Realizing that feminists fight for equality, NOT superiority, was a crucial part of my growth as a woman. I don’t want girls to grow up in society where they’re afraid to express their opinions. I don’t want boys to grow up in a world that looks down on them for crying. I want everyone to be treated equally, because I know that people are not lesser humans because of their gender identity. Because of my parents, I know that I am so much more than just a female. Yes, I am a woman. A woman with thoughts, strength and knowledge, and no one will ever make me feel bad about it."
Claire Campbell
"Three qualities that I love about myself are my observance, my understanding, and my reliability. I think it is very important to never make light of another human being’s situation; everyone has different levels of stress, pain, and heartache that they can tolerate. It’s my goal to always observe and be aware of what others are going through and understand it to the best of my abilities. I strive to be reliable; through both my work ethic and my relationships with others. One thing that I love most about my life is my family. Not every family is close like mine, so I consider myself very fortunate. Knowing that I have a loving, supportive home to go back to means the world to me. I will never be able to thank my family enough for everything that they have done for me."
Vanessa Trauger
"Joy. Enthusiasm. Passion. Light. It has been brought to my attention, and told by many, that my laugh can be heard from a mile away. Some people have even asked me if there is ever a day that I am not smiling because I am often hyper and overly energetic. The reason why I have so much joy and enthusiasm is because of the light of my life, Jesus Christ. The beautiful and loving light of Christ helps me find joy every single day, and He is who I strive to be like. My faith is not only my passion, but truly helps me get through the dark times and the bright ones. It is important for me to love everyone, and maybe even help them find more joy in their own life. I hope that my spirit and laughter can bring light to others."
Ashlan McMichael
"My name is Ashlan McMichael, and I am a sophomore in college.
My words are "Confidence," "Strength," "Perseverance," and "Beauty." I chose these words because not only am I a very confident person, but I have risen to confidence through a long journey that gave me strength, caused me to persevere, and made me feel beautiful. I have been dealing with knee pain since I was 12 years old, and in my freshmen year of college, I finally got to the doctor.
They tried physical therapy first, but it was too painful. Then, they gave me cortisone injections, to which I had a semi-allergic reaction and left me in a wheelchair. Then they gave me MRIs and X-rays until they finally determined that surgery was the only way.
On May 13th, I had surgery performed on my left knee. They had to shave my cartilage, which left me in too much pain to move my own leg for three weeks. I had surgery on my right knee on June 17th, and it was less painful than the first. The whole process of treatments to recovery took about a year, and here I am today walking confidently and smiling with pride.
My pictures display my scars, but they are small and faint. I am proud of who I am today and what I have been through to get here."
My words are "Confidence," "Strength," "Perseverance," and "Beauty." I chose these words because not only am I a very confident person, but I have risen to confidence through a long journey that gave me strength, caused me to persevere, and made me feel beautiful. I have been dealing with knee pain since I was 12 years old, and in my freshmen year of college, I finally got to the doctor.
They tried physical therapy first, but it was too painful. Then, they gave me cortisone injections, to which I had a semi-allergic reaction and left me in a wheelchair. Then they gave me MRIs and X-rays until they finally determined that surgery was the only way.
On May 13th, I had surgery performed on my left knee. They had to shave my cartilage, which left me in too much pain to move my own leg for three weeks. I had surgery on my right knee on June 17th, and it was less painful than the first. The whole process of treatments to recovery took about a year, and here I am today walking confidently and smiling with pride.
My pictures display my scars, but they are small and faint. I am proud of who I am today and what I have been through to get here."
Taylor Consiglio
"My three words that I feel best suit me are compassion, humility, and trustworthy. All of these words stem from one another. I sympathize well with others and understand how people are feeling. Humility is my next word because I care how others feel; I never feel the need to brag. This reverts back to my compassionate side. Trustworthy is my last word which sums everything up. I feel that I am a trustful person and put other peoples feelings before my own."
Cassidy Egan
"Devoted. Resilient. Loving. Strong.
I am a devoted Christian, and I am devoted to my friends and family. I am resilient because even though I have been through so much pain throughout my life, I continue to wear a smile on my face because being positive and being happy is one of the most important things you can do. I am loving to all humans no matter what. As a human, as small as we all are in such a big world, there is only so much love you can put into something so small and that little amount of love can make such a big difference. I am strong because even when I am feeling down, I put all of that aside and make others feel happy. My name is Cassidy Anne Elizabeth Egan. I am eighteen years old, and I am beautiful."
I am a devoted Christian, and I am devoted to my friends and family. I am resilient because even though I have been through so much pain throughout my life, I continue to wear a smile on my face because being positive and being happy is one of the most important things you can do. I am loving to all humans no matter what. As a human, as small as we all are in such a big world, there is only so much love you can put into something so small and that little amount of love can make such a big difference. I am strong because even when I am feeling down, I put all of that aside and make others feel happy. My name is Cassidy Anne Elizabeth Egan. I am eighteen years old, and I am beautiful."
Rachel Woody
"My words are compassionate, welcoming, caring, and loving. These words mean many things to me. In this world, right now, compassion is one of the most important things we need. Compassion, to me, is one of the most important values to hold as a person. I believe that being a trustworthy person starts with being compassionate. I know that I love confiding in compassionate people because I feel like they will be able to keep my information private and give me helpful advice. The next word that describes me is welcoming. I have multiple groups of friends who say that I am the "mother figure" of the group. When I see someone who is sitting by themselves, or when I pass people in the hallways, I like to say hi to everyone because I know that I like when people make an effort to talk to me. I love being the friend that everyone comes to when they are feeling down because if I didn't have that one friend to talk to, I'm not sure where I would be. The third word that describes me is caring. This one goes hand in hand with compassion, but to me, being caring goes a little bit more in depth. Caring people are the people who I feel comfortable talking to, so if I can be one of those people for even one other person, I will feel that I have done just a little bit of good in the world. My last word is loving. I have learned to be loving from the most amazing person in the world, my mother. My mom has so much love in her heart for not only my dad, my sister, and me, but for the entire world even in this stage of hurt. She has taught me that love is the most important thing to show no matter what the dynamic the world is in. These four words make Rachel Woody who she is, and I am very humbled to have had so many amazing experiences that have helped me realize what these words mean to me."
NicolePaige Uvenio
"I like to think of myself as somebody who sees the good in everything. I am always looking at the glass as half full. I picked positivity as the trait I admire most about myself. I believe every situation can be turned into a positive situation if you view it in the right light. Life really is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. I always want to bring positivity, happiness, and light into a world where everyone could use a little more."
Katrina Roberts
"Like many musicians, I’m very conscious of my own feelings and emotions as well as those of the people around me, and of the impact we have on others. I pay attention to the little things people say when they think no one is listening, because oftentimes I’m not heard. I notice the side glances and secretive looks people send each other when they are made uncomfortable or upset by something that has been said in a group of people, because I’ve been made aware of the impact words have on individuals. After years of growing and observing, I have learned to be very conscious of the things I say and the way I act, because everything we do or say has an impact on those around us. This is why I value my compassion over any other trait. I believe if everyone built a strong sense of compassion, the world would be a much more loving place. By being aware of how we affect others, we can build stronger relationships, spare the feelings of others, and create a more accepting community. My compassion is a huge part of what makes me, me. The more compassion in the world, the more love, which is my second word. I firmly believe that the key to love is compassion, and I value love over anything on this Earth. My love for the people in my life and for music is what gets me out of bed every day. Relationships with other people are what make us human, and friendship is the most rewarding part of life, which is why friendship is my final word. I love love, I love my friends, and I hope that by spreading awareness for the importance of compassion for others, the world will become even more beautiful than it already is."
Kelly Ruggieri
"Warrior, Courageous, Honest, and Confident.
"The things that make me different are the things that make me ME." -Piglet, Winnie the Pooh
When my parents named me Kelly as a newborn, my mother looked up what my name meant. As soon as she read, "Warrior Woman," she knew she was in for it. This has become a frequent joke between me and my mom, but after weathering the fight of finding my dream school, I feel the name is fitting.
I haven't always been as courageous, honest, strong, or confident as I am now. Throughout my entire life, I struggled to find my self love. Whether it was my personality, my body, or my talent, I never really thought I was good enough.
Going into college, I had the rug pulled out from under me. Immediately, I realized my first college wasn't right for me, and I took the biggest leap of faith I've ever made; I left James Madison, went back home, and figured out what I wanted to do with my life. I had to reevaluate my everything. Where I wanted to go to school, what my major was going to be, which friends would stick with me through the process. After a pile of college rejection letters, I never thought I was going to make it through college, let alone follow my dreams of becoming a music teacher. Instead of letting myself give up, I worked harder than I thought was possible and didn't let anyone get in my way. The year I lived at home was the most self-defining year of my life so far. I was leading a life completely different than a "typical" college student. I had three jobs, went to community college, lived with my parents, and barely had a social life. This life style was a year for myself, and instead of feeling lonely, I realized every amazing attribute about myself. I never took a moment for granted, and I learned to accept uncertainty. I learned to follow my heart.
I believe in making courageous decisions, even when they are the hardest. I believe in being honest with yourself and others, no matter how hard it may be. I am confident in my abilities and myself even when I'm at my lowest points. As silly as it may be, I am Kelly Ruggieri, and I am a warrior woman."
"The things that make me different are the things that make me ME." -Piglet, Winnie the Pooh
When my parents named me Kelly as a newborn, my mother looked up what my name meant. As soon as she read, "Warrior Woman," she knew she was in for it. This has become a frequent joke between me and my mom, but after weathering the fight of finding my dream school, I feel the name is fitting.
I haven't always been as courageous, honest, strong, or confident as I am now. Throughout my entire life, I struggled to find my self love. Whether it was my personality, my body, or my talent, I never really thought I was good enough.
Going into college, I had the rug pulled out from under me. Immediately, I realized my first college wasn't right for me, and I took the biggest leap of faith I've ever made; I left James Madison, went back home, and figured out what I wanted to do with my life. I had to reevaluate my everything. Where I wanted to go to school, what my major was going to be, which friends would stick with me through the process. After a pile of college rejection letters, I never thought I was going to make it through college, let alone follow my dreams of becoming a music teacher. Instead of letting myself give up, I worked harder than I thought was possible and didn't let anyone get in my way. The year I lived at home was the most self-defining year of my life so far. I was leading a life completely different than a "typical" college student. I had three jobs, went to community college, lived with my parents, and barely had a social life. This life style was a year for myself, and instead of feeling lonely, I realized every amazing attribute about myself. I never took a moment for granted, and I learned to accept uncertainty. I learned to follow my heart.
I believe in making courageous decisions, even when they are the hardest. I believe in being honest with yourself and others, no matter how hard it may be. I am confident in my abilities and myself even when I'm at my lowest points. As silly as it may be, I am Kelly Ruggieri, and I am a warrior woman."