Thomas

Why did you choose St. Thomas?

I chose St. Thomas for a few reasons.  First, I wanted a high quality education, a place I'd be really challenged intellectually, and St. Thomas was the place.  Secondly, I was thinking of doing a business degree and St. Thomas offers one of the best business programs in the midwest, with the Twin Cities providing numerous job opportunities.  Third, I really wanted to run track and field in college and St. Thomas would allow me to start running on the team as a first year student.  Fourth, I really wanted to study abroad in college and St.Thomas offered an amazing selection of programs to choose from.  Fifth, I wanted a school relatively close to home, near a big city, and St. Thomas was the perfect fit.  It just made perfect sense to choose this school.

What do you like best about St. Thomas?

I like the real diversity of people and personalities you find all over campus.  The opportunity to meet new people and make new friends is incredible.  It's been very rewarding getting to know so many people over the years at UST, people I know I'll remain friends with well after college.

What do you like about being a student in the Twin Cities area?

I like the fact that there's just so much to do and see here, such as the amazing selection of concert venues, plays, museums, restaurants, etc.  Especially in the spring and summer time, it gets really beautiful outside, with the sun shining on the lakes, the trees and flowers showing their full spectrum of colors, and tons of people enjoying the outdoors.  The public transportation is pretty good too, so getting from one place to the other is fairly easy.

What campus activities are you involved in?

This year I'm the Senior Class President, which is run through our Undergraduate Student Government, or USG.  I'm also an International Student Ambassador, which has been really fun.  I'm a Tommie Ambassador (giving tours to prospective students), CultureLink Partner, was a member on the UST Track team for 4 years, and now am on the UST Blue Ox Rugby team.  Whenever UST is putting on a speaker, movie showing, volunteer event, etc., I try to be involved.

What advice would you give to prospective international students?

The advice I would give would be to not be afraid or reluctant and participate in as many campus activities as possible.  I know many, if not most, international students are concerned about meeting other people on campus; getting involved in campus activities is the best way to meet others and feel really connected to the university.  You will always find somebody that shares some of your interests.  The people at St. Thomas are incredibly friendly, so getting to know just some of them will make your experience here engaging and worthwhile.