Saadya and Jack stand next to each other and pose for a photo together
Me with my former student advisor Jack Beal ‘18 who came to the fall orchestra concert to play with us.

As a sophomore, I applied and was accepted to the Ammerman Center for Arts and Technology at Connecticut College. The Center is one of the five academic centers on campus that provide resources to students and faculty doing interdisciplinary work on a specific subject. Learn more about my journey as an Ammerman Scholar.

As a senior, I recently had the opportunity to advise two sophomore students applying to the Ammerman Center. Advising from a current student is a typical part of the center’s application process (along with the assignment of a faculty application advisor). When I was a sophomore applying to the Center, meeting with my student advisor was a respite, a moment when I felt that I was under less pressure to explain what I wanted to do because my adviser had recently gone through the same process. Student advisors’ only role is to help applicants. No students sit on the admission committee, and I did not give any of my opinions about my advisees to the committee.

Getting to meet with my advisees was a fun experience. Passing on my view of the Center helped me to realize how my own experiences in the Center have shaped me since then. Although student advising is intended as more of an opportunity for applicants to learn about my experiences and the opportunities available, both my advisees also wanted me to give advice about their application materials, their essays and resumes, and I happily obliged.

Having invested myself in their processes. I was rooting for both of my advisees to get into the Center. I even reached out to Steve Luber, associate director of the center, to find out what day decisions would be released.

Finally, decision day arrived. I was working in the expanded media classroom on the top floor of Cummings Arts Center when Steve walked past me. I stopped him to ask my advisees, and he told me that both were admitted! I’m glad I had the opportunity to get to know two members of Ammerman’s Class of 2021 and, already knowing their goals, I’m excited to see what they’ll end up creating in the next three years and beyond.