Where Curiosity, Purpose, and Ambition Don’t Compete.
They Compound.

From Marist Magazine — When Vallane Sneva ’27 arrives for morning lab, the DI student-athlete is often still in her volleyball warm-up jacket from practice. But within minutes, she’s balancing chemical equations with the same persistence and focus she brings to the court. It’s a rhythm she’s mastered at Marist—moving between identities, responsibilities, and passions without ever feeling like she must choose only one.

“I’m not just a biomedical sciences major or an athlete,” said Vallane. “Marist helped me see how every experience shapes who I am and what I can do.”

Vallane’s pursuits stretch far beyond the lab bench and the court. She’s a tutor for local high-school students, a communications coordinator for the Black Student-Athlete Association, an Honors Program researcher exploring the intersection of psychology and religion, and an aspiring global traveler preparing for a short-term microbiology course in France.

Experiences That Elevate

Learning Without Borders

Across 11 countries and 18 cities, Jacob Richard '28 spent 100 days immersed in the Asia Study Abroad Program—learning to navigate new cultures, connect with communities, and view the world from different vantage points.

Through study abroad, short-term travel courses, and intercultural learning, Marist students gain fluency in more than language—they gain perspective. The ability to empathize, adapt, and lead across differences has become an essential currency in today’s global workforce.

“Traveling to so many different countries in a single semester has helped me appreciate the cultural diversity of each country, from fast-paced cities to the humble communities where tradition is the heart of their lifestyle,” said Jacob Richard ’28. “This has truly been a one-in-a-lifetime experience.”  

 Red Fox Connections

Behind every Marist story is a network of mentors—faculty, alumni, and peers—who invest in the growth of others. That guidance begins in the classroom and lasts far beyond graduation.

The strength and expanse of this network was on full display during the Center for Career Services’ recent Road to the Workplace visit to Paramount in New York City, where Katie Altuz '12, Director of Multi-Platform Content Strategy for the MTV Entertainment Group, was one of many Marist alumni at Paramount who welcomed students into her world—offering an inside look at breaking into entertainment and building a creative career.

“Being here and hearing from them and talking about how people from Marist still reach out and still connect—it really proved that alumni are a big part of going to Marist, and they really take pride in the place that they came from,” said Angelina Ruiz '27.

 Science & Discovery 

In Marist’s Gross Anatomy Lab, future healthcare leaders experience a form of learning that blends scientific rigor and human connection. Physician assistant, physical therapy, and athletic training students work directly with human donors, gaining an understanding of anatomy impossible to achieve through textbooks alone.

For many, it becomes the moment when classroom theory and professional purpose converge.

“The cadaver lab was a deciding factor for me,” said Nico Andrada '26. “The depth of knowledge you gain is unmatched, and it solidified my commitment to a career in healthcare.”

Under faculty guidance, students learn more than musculature and systems—they learn responsibility, respect, and empathy. The lab teaches them to see both the science and the story in the human body: pacemakers, surgical hardware, anatomical variations, signs of disease. It’s a powerful reminder that medicine requires both clinical skill and deep compassion.

The Human Edge 

Back in the Dyson Center’s Atrium, as Vallane finishes studying for her finals and grabs her volleyball gear before heading to the gym, she embodies what it means to be a Red Fox: multifaceted, driven, grounded, and lifted by a community that encourages her to explore in every direction. She’s not choosing between passion and profession; she’s energized by both. 

“At Marist, you don’t have to choose who you’ll be—you get to become all of it,” she said. And as she considers the path ahead—graduation, med school, and more—she adds, “I used to assume I’d have to give something up—research, athletics, travel, leadership. But here, everything I care about strengthens each other. That’s what surprised me most.”

In an age of automation and rapid change, the ability to hold multiple identities, strengths, and ambitions at once has never mattered more. Employers today increasingly seek graduates who pair technical knowledge with communication, empathy, collaboration, and judgment. In fact, national hiring surveys show that the vast majority of managers now view these human-centered skills as just as important as professional expertise. It’s exactly this blend of capability and character that distinguishes Marist students as they enter a workplace defined by complexity. 

Marist Trustee Ross Mauri '80, who has spent decades leading global teams at IBM, has seen firsthand how technical expertise and human judgment must coexist. 

“Technology moves fast, but good judgment never goes out of style. Marist equips students to make decisions that honor both the data in front of them and the people behind it.”