Julia S.
I come from a family of eleven. I am the seventh of nine children. My older sister was the first of us to come to Saint Ben’s and each sibling after her followed in her footsteps. Initially, there was a feeling of pressure that I needed to attend this school because it has been the choice of school for my family for 14 years. I knew Saint Ben’s was a good school with a good education system, but I did not realize just how great it was until I got here.
I had the same doubts as any other student would have about paying for a private school. However, with the scholarships and grants I have received from not only the school, but from families outside of the school. I have gotten scholarships from families who are willing to help me become a future educator. Without the help of these scholarships and financial aid, I would not be attending this school.
I came in as an Elementary Education major and ended up switching my major to Math by my sophomore year with an Education minor. It was a stressful time for me, but my advisors and professors were incredibly helpful in the process to ensure that everything was going to work out. It turns out that they were right, and I am now a step closer to doing something I am passionate about
Throughout my four years at Saint Ben’s, I have learned a lot about myself. My professors pushed me farther than I ever think I could do academically. They believed in me when I doubted myself and challenged me to think about material in ways that I never thought I could. They did not tolerate less than my best. I have learned a lot about what I want to be through my professors. As a future educator, this really motivated me to become the best I could be, not only as a student, but as a person. Saint Ben’s has helped me grow to become a successful and independent woman, and I cannot wait to tell the next generation of my family that I am and always will be a Bennie!
Julia S. ’16 | St. Stephen, Minn.