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Graduating students are a big part of the St. Jerome’s community through helping to pass on traditions, take on leadership positions and more. This term some graduating students will be interviewed and they will share memories from their years as a St. Jerome’s student, as well as their advice for an incoming student. In the fourth post in this series, Maya Venters, a graduating student, will be interviewed.
Maya Venters has been a part of the St. Jerome’s Community for four years and is in arts student with an english literature and rhetoric major.
What is your favourite class that you have taken over your degree so far, and why is it your favourite?
My favourite class that I took was RS 291, a special topics course called "The Sacramental Imagination." It was in this class that I met some of my best friends, favourite professors, and most important role models. After this course, I changed the direction of my degree and career goals, and found myself full of new questions and more excited about my studies. This course also showed me how important my faith is to my studies and in my relationships in our community, which is a great benefit of studying at a place like St. Jerome's.
What advice would you give to an incoming St. Jerome's student who is starting their degree in the fall 2020 term?
Allow yourself to be mentored. It is easy to be scared of the vulnerability and humility that comes with having to say "I don't know," but this is one of the unique places and periods in life where you have the freedom to ask questions. It is such a blessing to have someone take you under their wing, and I wouldn't have had such a successful and formative four years without the generous mentorship of so many individuals on this campus. The impulse is often to want to skip being the mentee and become a mentor to others, as we are eager to share our own experiences, but seize the opportunity to learn from others when it comes!
What is your favourite St. Jerome's Memory?
When I was on the SJU Students' Union, we had a big white board in our office that we didn't use much. I turned it into our "Proud Mom Fridge" and would cover it with accomplishments and important events in the lives of our team members. It always made me really happy to recognize the seemingly small things happening in someone's life, that might not sound like a big deal to others. When we would have our team meetings, it was so cool to have everyone read about each other's "small" accomplishments. Things such as a good grade on a paper, feeling good after an interview, or persevering through a difficult week can be overlooked next to big job offers and scholarships. It really brought us together as a team and as good friends, and was definitely one of my favourite memories from SJU.
What are your plans upon graduating?
I will hopefully be pursuing graduate studies in theology and literature. Wherever I end up, I have big plans to continue chipping away at an endless stack of books, perfecting my latte art, and expanding my personal greenhouse production from my kitchen into the backyard.
If you have any suggestions for content that you would love to read about on our blog, please send an email to outreach@sju.ca! We would love to know what our students are interested in reading and knowing more about.
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