While wrapping up his studies and drafting his valedictory speech for the High School of Telecommunications and Technology in Bay Ridge, SJC Brooklyn freshman Christopher Saad knew just what he was looking for in a college.
“I wanted a smaller school that could help me succeed both in the classroom and on the court, so I chose St. Joseph’s,” said Saad, a member of the campus’ men’s volleyball team. “I’m pursuing a degree in the sciences – I learn better in smaller classes, and I like knowing that I’ll be able to talk to my professors if I run into difficulty.”
Another attractive factor was the College’s Honors Program and the range of opportunities it provides to students.
“The Honors Program at St. Joseph’s was different than any of the others that I encountered in my college search,” Saad said. “Not only does it take full advantage of all that New York City has to offer, but there’s also the opportunity to study abroad in different countries at a really reasonable cost.”
Saad isn’t only focused on what he can gain from his St. Joseph’s education. Along with representing the College on the men’s volleyball team and joining S.T.R.I.P.E.S (Students Taking a Role to Positively Enhance Society), he looks forward to the opportunity to serve as a volunteer academic tutor, so that he can give back.
“My favorite volunteer work is serving my peers as an academic tutor,” he said. “If I understand a certain concept from class that my classmates struggle to understand, I like to share what I have learned so that they can understand it themselves.”
Christine Murphy, vice president for enrollment management at SJC Brooklyn, noted that Saad embodies much of what she’s seen in this academic year’s incoming class — a passion for learning, a calling to serve others and a desire to engage with and find their place in the world.
“With a mission rooted in the liberal arts and an emphasis on applying these timeless values towards professional aims,” Murphy said, “students who enroll at St. Joseph’s can expect an education that will prepare them for lives of success, service and meaning.”
