Cabrini University Story Contest Voting
There are four question categories and each has three short stories assigned to it. Read the stories and then select one from each category that you think best answers the question and captures Cabrini. Happy voting!
As a member of the first class of students to enter Cabrini College in September, 1957, I wanted to share some of the precious memories of those beginning years. I feel blessed and grateful for the education and inspiration I received under the leadership of “Mother” Ursula Infante, MSC, who was Principal at the Mother Cabrini School in New York City (which I attended from 4th grade through High School) and who became founding President at Cabrini College. It was her dream to start a Women’s Catholic College in Radnor, Pa., and it was her vision and perseverance that led to the College’s existence.
Qualities that she passed on to us were both leadership and service and I am indebted to her for the guidance and love she gave to me and to many others. Mother Ursula was a dedicated, faithful, Christian who loved Cabrini College, and her students.
We, the first class lived her dream with her. She set high expectations for us in the classroom, on the athletic field, and in the community. Not one of us would ever want to disappoint her or the goals she set for “her girls”. I cherish the ideals she instilled in me during all those years. Whenever I returned to the college for alumni basketball games, or reunions and other fun
Janet C.R, Alumna (’59)
Coming to Cabrini, I would have never imagined I would begin to cry while packing up the car to head back after break for my final semester. Freshman year was fun but I found myself repeatedly questioning my decision to attend here. Then along came a professor, Dr. Vivian Smith, who would unknowingly flip my college career upside-down. Lively, vivacious, and spunky she waltzed into my first class sophomore year and the rest is history. She, and eventually the rest of the criminology and sociology department, pushed me to get involved, think outside of the box, challenge myself, see the world through a different lens, and always strive to be the greatest person I can be. You know you picked the right school when professors become advisors, advisors become personal mentors, and those mentors become great friends. Because of them I will be leaving Cabrini ready to take the world by storm, and for that I will be forever grateful.
Katelyn M., Student (’17)
As an adjunct professor at Cabrini University for more than five years now, I have been impacted not by what I have taught but what I have learned from students of various backgrounds and perspectives. These individuals taught me life lessons that cannot be captured in any syllabus or curriculum. Through each one of them, I have been transformed in many ways. Please meet a few of my Cabrini “heroes” (names changed to preserve identity):
“Jodie” --- she had no experience in teaching. She had not worked for years because she had to take care of her children. Her unrelenting passion for teaching sparked my inspiration to help her pave the way for a new chapter in her life.
“Scott” --- he was a medical doctor but decided to hang up his stethoscope and pursue teaching. He showed me that teaching is a noble profession, and he would not have become a doctor if not for the outstanding teachers in his life.
“Betty” --- a lawyer by profession, she believed that teaching would provide her with opportunities to promote social justice beyond the use of the gavel.
“Robert” --- a well-respected teacher in elementary school. His creativity and tenacity has instilled the value of going outside the box.
These are four of the many individuals who impacted my Cabrini experience --- a university in which even faculty can immensely learn through teaching. My life’s journey will never be the same because Cabrini promotes a community of learners where self-discovery, engagement, and making a difference matter!
Rodolfo A., Adjunct Professor
Today I stood in front of my first class at Cabrini as an instructor. The reason this is so epic is because I graduated from Cabrini in 1998.
Back then, I took a class called Video Production with Cathy Yungmann. The first day was exciting and scary at the same time. I still remember the first time I directed the whole class in a production. I’m sure I was shaking. It’s funny, because now I look back at that moment and wonder, why was I so nervous?
I had the script. I did the work, the planning, and even practiced on my own. After I finally was able to say “Fade to Black” signifying the end of the show, I breathed a huge sigh of relief, and after that made sure I signed up for every video class Cabrini offered.
Here it is, 2017, and I’m now teaching Video Production thanks to Cathy. And as I stood in front of that class, I was not the least bit nervous or concerned. But I can see some of the students might be feeling a little of that anxiety I felt so long ago. So I told them not to worry.
That is what Cabrini taught me. I learned that I can do just about anything with the correct preparation, planning and work. And now I’m lucky enough to get to pass that knowledge on to a new generation.
Dennis F., Alumnus ('98)
Cabrini helped me to learn about who I was as an educator and the importance of advocating for my students.
I learned how to be reflective in my practice. Through each class in the Reading Specialists program, I would take stock of what I had learned and how it affected my current teaching practice. I taught at Woodlynde School, just down the road. Students there needed their teacher to be highly trained in reading, as well as sensitive to their learning styles and needs. Cabrini prepared me with the most up-to-date understandings of both theory and practice in the field of reading and helped me create a community of readers and writers.
Cabrini also pushed me to do things that really mattered in the field of education. I became a leader because of what I learned from my professors and the coursework. I no longer followed what had been done, but shared what could be done. We grew as an English department in our ability to both meet the needs of students and see them for who they could become. One student once shared, “Thank you for helping us reach our dreams. Thank you for believing in what we could do and not what we couldn’t do before your class.” Cabrini developed me into a keen diagnostician who could use student data in a dynamic way to reach student and help them grow.
I found my voice and passion for education, for my students, and especially for literacy through Cabrini.
Aileen H., Adjunct Professor
I spent two years at Cabrini College and one year at Cabrini University. Through those three years both the school and myself have transformed our thoughts, ideologies, and ways of expressing ourselves. I entered Cabrini College timid and naïve of what exactly the school offered. I knew only to get my degree and leave without any clue on how to truly express myself. I never tried to go outside my comfort zone in high school, so I thought not to change who I was if its been working. I was wrong. In a short amount of time I gained a colorful array of friends, entered leadership roles on campus like peer mentoring for the Body Language LLC, and retained academic excellence. I proved myself wrong and gained a new zone of confidence that had never had the chance of being tapped into because I was overlooked in my previous institutions. I have the chance to become the voice for the marginalized and use the privileges handed to me to help those who never had the chance to be truly ‘seen.’ I have also had the chance to become great friends with the faculty here on campus. I never had the chance to be close to any of my professors or staff members at any of my schools before, but I feel as though I have made lasting friendships for a lifetime.
Vanessa L.F., Student ('19)
Through the many service opportunities I was privileged to take part, Cabrini Campus Ministry empowered me to plumb the depth and beauty of Catholic Social Teaching. Through these powerful experiences, I caught a glimpse of the unseen forces of failed economic and societal pacts that inordinately harm the most vulnerable. These experiences propelled me to serve in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, where I gave a year of my life to work with young men from the most abusive neighborhoods in Los Angeles.
Because of my Cabrini education I have seen injustice in the unclothed children splashing in polluted puddles of the dirt roads in Ecuador; the tent cities of Skid Row; the impoverished former coal miners in forgotten hollows of West Virginia; I have seen it in the former gang members and abused high school students with whom I worked.
I have seen hope in the incalculable love of those who sacrifice everything to stand among these injustices and advocate for change. I have seen hope in the lives of those same high school students, abused and counted out of society, who gave up their time to serve the homeless in the neighborhoods from which they came, and fought and scraped to enter college.
I would have never experienced any of this heartbreak and beauty without my first spring break in West Virginia. My life has been forever changed by standing along the margins—and I will never stop fighting to be a voice for the voiceless.
Timothy R., Alumnus ('12)
My story is really very simple—I was led to Cabrini. For more than 15 years, I have taken the train to work from Montgomery County to the Eastwick section of Philadelphia. Truth be told, I rarely notice anything because I am too busy trying to make sure I don’t run over anyone’s toes with my wheelies or bump anyone with my lunch bag. But one day I looked up and saw a Cabrini poster – Accelerated Degree Completion Program and Bachelors of Arts In Leadership – the seed was planted but not fully developed.
I continued to see the poster on different train cars and after a week or two, I believed the universe was trying to tell me something, so I looked it up on line and sent an email. Within days I heard back and made an appointment to see Pat Griffin. From the moment I stepped off the Cabrini shuttle, I felt like I had come home. Doctor Griffin and I talked for about an hour, and I told her about my desire to complete my degree. She shared her experience, outlined how it could be done, and all I needed to do to make it happen. Everything not only looked right, it felt right. Dr. Griffin even took me on a tour of the campus. It was during the tour when it really felt like I was home in my neighborhood – everything was so familiar.
Growing up, I had always told my parents that I wanted to go to Bloomsburg University for college. For some reason, my father’s alma mater was far more appealing to me than my mother's, Cabrini.
However, after touring Bloomsburg’s large campus amongst a group of dozens of other students and their families, I felt like a lost face in a crowded group and realized the school was not the right fit.
Visiting Cabrini ended up being the complete opposite. I felt completely welcome as soon as I walked into the admissions office, and my one on one tour with my parents and a student ambassador was by far the best I had throughout my college selection process.
My interest in communications and my communications alumna of a mother also lead me to receive a personal tour of the communications wing from an upperclassmen in the major and one on one time with Dr. Zurek, the department’s chair.
Now, as I major in digital communications and social media as a second semester sophomore, I can confidently say that I am more than content with my decision to attend Cabrini. Our university’s close knit size and accepting environment make me feel like I am at home and have also allowed me to make my mark academically much sooner rather than later.
I am forever grateful for all of the opportunities that Cabrini has lead me to thus far and cannot wait to see what the future holds.
Angelina M., Student ('19)
When I decided to make a commitment to attend Cabrini I was not as excited as one should be when taking such an imperative step in life. My idea of the perfect college at the time was the thought of going to a school where the class population was over 1,000 and going to football games with thousands of enthusiastic fans. However, my thoughts have changed completely. After only successfully finishing one semester at Cabrini, I can proudly say I am grateful to be a part of such an amazing university.
I was told by a faculty member that those who come to Cabrini are here because someone, somewhere wants them to be here. At that same time, I learned Mother Cabrini was born on July 15 and at that moment I knew I was exactly where I needed to be. July 15 is the day my oldest sister past away a little over two years ago, which is why that date is so significant to me. She was my biggest supporter and always told me to follow my instincts and I will become successful. She taught me to take risks and make decisions based on what I feel is right and so I did. Though attending Cabrini was not understandable to me at first, I am glad I followed my gut. With the help of the amazing staff and students here, I could never imagine being a part of any other university. Therefore, I will forever spread the love I have for Cabrini while encouraging others to do whatever they FEEL is right.
Noel F., Student ('20)