May 20, 2025—In four short days, I’ll be walking across the Commencement stage to receive my bachelor’s degree in Communication.

It’s surreal that the big day is almost here—it feels like just yesterday I was moving into Leo Hall. This week is full of packing, tearful goodbyes, and Senior Week festivities (head over to the Marist Instagram to follow along!).

The things I’ve learned over the past four years have been invaluable. As a graduating senior, here are six lessons from my time at Marist.

1. Don’t stress about finding your place right away

Getting to college was a big adjustment. Like most first-years, I spent my first semester figuring things out. I’d loved theatre in high school, so I signed up to help with costumes for Marist’s fall MainStage show, The Heidi Chronicles.

That’s how I made some of my first friends at Marist, including Harper Anne Finch '22. When I shared my doubts about my concentration, she told me about the Communication 5-year program. With a newfound certainty, I switched to a double concentration in advertising and public relations.

After realizing that theatre wasn’t my calling, I made another big change. I joined Marist Singers and auditioned for Sirens, the women’s a cappella group. Three and a half years later, I performed in my final concert with the Sirens on May 4. We ended our set with the Barden Bellas’ final medley from the movie Pitch Perfect—featuring the four seniors in the group. It went viral on TikTok!

Through music, I found my home on campus. It took trying a few different things to get there, but good things are worth the wait.

 

 

2. Accept opportunities as they come to you

In my second semester here, I applied to join the Mosaic literary and arts magazine board as a Fiction Editor. Surprisingly, Amanda Roberts ’22, the Editor-in-Chief at the time, asked me if I was willing to train as Assistant Editor-in-Chief.

It was a nerve-wracking decision. Becoming Editor-in-Chief would be a huge responsibility, and I wasn’t sure I was ready for it—I had no prior magazine experience. But I took a risk and said yes.

To date, it’s the most work I’ve done in any role, but I found a true sense of fulfillment through the magazine. The process of sending creative work into the world was new and exciting. If I had been too afraid to say yes, I would never have discovered my love for publishing and could have missed out on an incredible opportunity.

My poem Sestina for Santorini won second place in poetry in the Fall 2024 edition of the Mosaic. It was my first published piece after serving on the board for five semesters. Photo courtesy of Lauren Lagasses '25.

3. Make time for things that you care about

Creative writing has always been a huge part of my life, and Marist provided countless opportunities to write through a creative writing minor and extracurriculars.

During my sophomore year, I wrote “Tulips,” a play about four college friends navigating what their friendship will look like after graduation. The play was performed as a part of the John P. Anderson Playwright’s Festival. I published four pieces in the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 issues of the Mosaic, and I continued work on a novel through my Independent Writing Project. Finding an academics-hobbies-social life balance is key to a well-rounded experience.

After graduation, I’ll be headed to Dublin on the Writing Retreat in Ireland attachment course with Professor Tommy Zurhellen. A huge thank you to President Kevin Weinman and the Presidential Fund for Equity in the Marist Experience for the opportunity to finish my undergraduate experience in Ireland!

The cast of  Tulips. Director Kat Bilbija '24 and I at the 41st annual John P. Anderson Playwright’s Festival.
 

4. Get outside of your comfort zone

One of the best decisions I made at Marist was to study abroad in Florence, Italy. I had never been to Europe, so leaving Poughkeepsie for an entire semester was a huge leap outside my comfort zone. I wasn’t sure what to expect—but the months in Florence were some of the best parts of my Marist experience.

During my time abroad, I explored Italy with my friends and visited a total of nine countries. Florence soon became a home away from home. I learned so much about myself, the world, and how to be truly independent. It was an incredible semester spent immersing myself in Italian culture and making memories. If you’re thinking about going abroad, seriously, just do it.

BLUE BOX: Lauren’s Shameless Plug, “I’ll be heading back to Florence in the fall as a tour guide with student tour company Bus2Alps. Use my code [CODE] when booking for 5% off weekend trips and activities!”

Il Porcellino (Italian for “the little pig”) is the nickname for the bronze fountain of a boar in Florence. The story goes that visitors who rub the pig’s snout and let a coin fall from its mouth will have good luck and return to the city someday. That turned out to be true for me!
 

5. Prioritize hands-on learning

Learning by doing is one of the best ways to build new skills, and Marist is committed to experiential learning. I worked as the Marketing Intern for New York Stage and Film, a non-profit theatre company that fosters the development of new works, for their 2024 summer season. I also worked at on-campus boutique MPorium for two semesters, one with the Marketing team and one with the Store Operations/HR team. These hands-on experiences allowed me to apply the skills I had learned in the classroom to the real world.

The NYSAF 2024 Summer Season marketing team! From left to right: Digital Content Creator Sammy Piroh '23, me, and Marketing and Development Associate Grace Rowan '23.

6. Foster connections

Creating genuine connections and relationships with the people around you is one of the most important parts of college. I sat next to Zoe Fernandes '24 by happenstance on the first day of MPorium. She wrote for Inside Marist as a student writer, and she recommended me as her replacement when she graduated. If we had never started chatting on that first day, I would never have gotten this job!

Relationships with professors can also provide you with a support system during undergrad and beyond. My professors have made lasting impacts on me, and have been able to refer me to job opportunities, write letters of recommendation for scholarships, or invite me to TA for their class (thank you Dr. Lea Graham for all three!). Talk to your professors after class, go to office hours, and be proactive in seeking connections and opportunities.

Lauren waving goodbye to her senior year. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist University.

My four years at Marist have been the most incredible experience, and I’m who I am today because of the choices I’ve mad and the people I’ve met along the way. Good luck in the fall, Class of 2029!