Olivia Cunningham is a Presidential Scholar majoring in
journalism. She is a member of Chamber Music Society, the LEAD
student leadership program, and a copy editor at the Torch
newspaper. This list of extracurricular involvements would be
enough to keep anyone busy, but somehow Olivia also finds time to
devote to assisting at the Office of Alumni Relations and Student
Support Services.
Oddly enough, the qualities that make St. John’s
distinctive—its location in New York City and its strong Catholic
and Vincentian identity—were exactly what Olivia wasn’t
looking for, but these are the things that she has most come to
love about her time here. She has enjoyed the spiritual aspects of
St. John’s, regularly attending mass and campus ministry events at
St. Thomas More Church on campus and spending her first spring
break on a service trip to Appalachia. She plans on completing a
minor in theology.
Going to school in New York City means than an adventure is
always just around the corner. Olivia has explored Manhattan
through various University and Honors Program events, including Dr.
Forman’s walking tours, the annual Discover New York trip
to Ellis Island, and guided tours of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
conducted by several different faculty members.
Olivia knows that she will never forget her time at St. John’s
University, no matter where she ultimately decides to direct her
talents (perhaps marketing, print journalism, or homeschooling her
children). Olivia will always appreciate the positive impact that
St. John’s and the University Honors Program has had on her.