I recently moved to Bethany, CT and now see horses and cows on my commute to Milford every day.
What is your current job/year in school?
I recently accepted the position of Director of Alumnae Relations at Lauralton Hall in Milford, CT. It is so good to be back at my Alma Mater. Some of my responsibilities include connecting with Alumnae, planning and hosting Alumnae and community events, and coordinating the weddings of any Alumna who wishes to marry in the Lauralton Hall Chapel, which turns 100 years old this year. Prior to returning to Lauralton, I was the Marketing Coordinator at Meyers, Harrison & Pia, LLC, a certified public accounting and business advisory firm headquartered in New Haven, CT. Prior to this I was the Guest Services Manager at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale.
What was your educational path after graduating from St. Mary School?
After SMS, I attended Lauralton Hall, where I was a cheerleader for the Crusaders. After graduating in 2009, I attended Providence College and was a cheerleader for the men’s and women’s Big East Basketball Teams – Go Friars! Before graduating from the AACSB-accredited Providence College School of Business with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, I co-founded the Armenian Society, through which I was able to learn about my family’s history through other Armenian students.
What volunteer efforts are you involved with?
When I am not at work or at home playing with my one year old kitty, you can find me coaching gymnastics at Cartwheels, Etc. I work with children ranging in ages from Pre-K through high school. I love helping each person achieve their goals, whether they are just starting out or have been a gymnast for years. Everyone is always learning something new, whether it is a new trick, routine, game, stretch, or workout.
How do you feel SMS prepared you academically?
While challenging at times, the coursework at SMS prepared me for my high school career and beyond. I felt prepared to enter my freshman year of high school, even though my schedule reflected all honors-level classes. Furthermore, much of the newly-taught material in high school was already familiar to me. At Lauralton, I was quickly able to get a handle on not only the workload of each class, but also the detailed requirements expected from each teacher. Something as simple as noticing the homework assignment written on the board and making sure to write it down correctly was a struggle for some and resulted in incomplete assignments. The teachers at SMS emphasize attention to detail, making this a skill that I was able to continuously develop long after graduating eighth grade.
Do you feel SMS provided you with a foundation for your future?
Everyone at SMS, from the teachers, to the staff, to the parent volunteers are truly invested in children’s Catholic education. Not only did teachers passionately teach me their respective subject, but they also played a huge role in guaranteeing my safety and happiness.
What are some of your favorite memories of SMS?
Aside from the many field trips including those to Boston, Rockefeller Center, and Sturbridge Village, one of my favorite was ‘bump up day’ in 8th grade. I transferred into St. Mary’s from St. Bridget’s School in Cheshire in the middle of 4th grade. Even though it was a very difficult transition to leave my life-long friends and meet all new faces in the middle of a school year, some of my now closest friends were those that befriended me in 4th grade, including my fiancé. Bump up Day was one of my favorite memories because 8th graders got to go back to Pre-school. I remember my Pre-K days quite vividly and even though I do not share their same memories, it was so nice to see the room, the chairs and the games that were there when they were younger. Hearing my classmates share their memories from Pre-K really made me feel included as a soon-to-be St. Mary alumna and no longer like the new girl.
What advice can you give to our students?
Participate! Participate in everything that your family schedule will allow. Time goes by too quickly and you will never remember all of the fun things that go on at St. Mary’s, so make sure you participate in the foul shooting contest, go to the carnival every year (even when you think you’re too cool to go), and build roller coasters in 8th grade so that when you connect or reconnect with classmates years from now, you can be reminded of all the amazing memories you have from your time at St. Mary’s. My friends and I can reminisce for hours about all of our memories from SMS and I hope one day you can too.
