Studying abroad is not new for Staten Island campus student Kay
Mordeno. During her third year in high school, she was sent to
Japan as a Filipino Youth Ambassador in a year-long student
exchange program. Together with several other participants from
different Asian countries, Kay immersed herself in Japan’s unique
culture and traditions while she studied Japanese and Biotechnology
like an ordinary high school student. She lived with a host family
throughout the program and learned how to be fully independent from
her real parents and siblings back in the Philippines. Gaining such
a wonderful and memorable experience of studying abroad, Kay was
enthralled when she learned that St. John’s University offers
Discover the World, an opportunity of studying in three different
European countries in one semester. Moreover, during her
Honors orientation as an incoming freshman, she found out that
there are numerous opportunities of studying in other countries
around the globe through St. John’s network and affiliations with
other universities and institutions.
Surprisingly, Kay did not expect that her dream of setting foot on
a foreign land would be realized once more during the winter
intersession of her freshman year. She became one of the
participants in a two-week service learning experience and trip to
Rome that has recently been created and offered to freshmen Honors
students. During her stay at St. John’s campus in Italy, she was
exposed to the Eternal City’s lifestyle and culture, and was
awestruck by the architectural wonders and historical remnants of
the ancient Roman Empire. She was able to know more about the
history of Rome and exercise her Christian core values by
volunteering in soup kitchens around the city. Although the program
only lasted for a short while in contrast to her year-long
experience in Japan, she gained a lot of precious memories with her
fellow Honors students and definitely enjoyed the campus life
abroad.
Back in Staten Island, Kay actively participates in various
activities and academic lectures offered by the school. She
contributes articles to the StormFront Newspaper, and takes
advantage of the free Broadway shows and other musical performances
at the Lincoln Center, which are made possible through the Honors
program. She has even attended two conferences in the United
Nations in Manhattan through St. John’s Multicultural Affairs and
regards this event as one of the most important academic
experiences she has ever had as a college student.
Aspiring to become a Certified Financial Analyst in the future and
eventually work at World Bank, Kay feels that studying at St.
John’s University and becoming a part of the Honors Program bridges
the gap that once existed between her and her dreams. As a
well-rounded student with exceptional talents in writing, drawing,
singing, and acting, Kay aims to attain academic excellence as well
as hone her other abilities through participating in numerous
activities and programs offered by the university. Now that she is
studying at a school, which is situated in the financial capital
and most diverse city in the world, she believes that she would be
able to expand her horizons and develop her character even more as
she spends her remaining years of college life at St. John’s.
Having recently migrated from the Philippines with her family, Kay
also hopes to learn more about New York City and at the same time,
discover the world through her own eyes as she gains various
perspectives about life.