A senior majoring in psychology and minoring in Italian, Airam Aguasvivas De Los Santos is an Honors and C-STEP student at St. Francis College (SFC), as well as a RISE Above program alumna and member of both the Duns Scotus and Psi Chi (Psychology) Honor Societies. Her hobbies include crocheting, self-studying American Sign Language, reading and watching movies. She hopes to pursue an advanced degree in social work upon graduating from SFC.

Why did you choose to enroll at St. Francis College?
I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and migrated to the United States in 2018 to finish high school and make my dream of graduating from college a reality. As a first-generation college student, I thought at times this dream might be too big to achieve, but SFC felt like a second home from the start. There was an amazing team guiding me through the process, listening to and addressing my concerns, and recognizing my work and achievements with scholarships. After graduation, I plan to support the College’s mission to ensure that more students dream big, serve and achieve.

What prompted you to consider a career as a social worker?
My dream career path is one that involves serving and interacting with people. I love supporting immigrant communities, particularly the Latino one. One of the internships I’ve completed during my time at SFC was at the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, where I served as a tax preparer and Spanish/English translator and interpreter. I have also been a policy-research and social-media intern for New York City’s Office of Citywide Health Insurance Access and a social-work intern in the Health Career Opportunity Program at NYU.

What extracurricular activities are you involved in at SFC?­­
As a proud Terrier, I do my best to get involved with campus groups, such as the SFC Writers Group (my work has been published in Terrier magazine) and the Women’s Leadership Network, where I was a mentee in the spring of 2022. As a student assistant in the Office of Mission, Ministry & Interfaith Dialogue, I collaborate to organize, program and participate in special events such as Franciscan Month. Additionally, I enjoy attending the workshops and webinars offered by SFC’s Center for Learning and Leadership and Center for Career Exploration.

Is there a professor or person at SFC who has impacted you in a meaningful way — whether academically or on a personal level?
I would like to thank Drs. Jamie Macdonald and Laura Egan for their interesting, fun classes that made me challenge myself. Professor Arnold Sparr has taught me to see New York City with new eyes, while Professor Ghazala Afzal always encourages me to improve my English grammar and celebrates my successes. I also wish to thank Dr. Scott Hofer, for the exciting debates during our 8 a.m. virtual class, and Dr. Virginia Franklin, for her kindness, support and mentorship — and for always reminding her students that we have more to offer than we think.