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With finals eyeing down the weary remnants of post-Sti-Yu-Ka students, the promise of summer vacation is helping them push through their studying and completion of tedious final semester projects. For some, this upcoming summer offers a relaxing escape from the rigorous academic classroom or exhausting athletic schedules. For others, however, it begins a post-college life that has approached them far too fast.
Steph Gildea, a senior and Criminal Justice major, will be receiving her undergraduate diploma in less than three weeks. Although she is ecstatic about graduation, she knows that an entirely new chapter in her life will soon begin. She is currently pursuing a job with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination agency located in downtown Springfield. Gildea is currently an intern there and is fairly confident she will be able to secure a job with them for the summer. She will also be looking for an apartment in Springfield that will potentially be her first home that she can call her own.
“It’s been such an amazing experience at Springfield College, but now comes ‘real life,’” said Gildea. “I’ve made so many friends along the way, but I am very much excited to make new ones and hopefully keep some old ones that are still living in Springfield.”
Senior Jamie Gornall, a Sports Biology major, is another student who will be graduating this May. Gornall will be heading to Woodstock, Vt., to work as a technical coordinator at a 110-acre horse facility that hosts over 30 weeks of events per year. He will be traveling to horse shows in Virgina, Colorado, Quebec and Kentucky. In addition, he will be shadowing a professional veterinaria as he looks to pursue a possible career in that field.
“I’m looking forward to seeing profit and doing a bit of traveling,” said Gornall. “But I’d like to thank all those whom have contributed to my excellent experience here at Springfield College. I wish them all health and prosperity in the future.”
For the physician assistant and physical therapy majors at Springfield College, they will have to spend the next few months still on campus, as summer classes begin on May 15th. Junior Robert Giordano, a Physician Assistant major, understands how tough his summer will be with the grueling workload of classes.
“This is going to be a pretty intense semester,” said Giordano. “It’s part of the program, though, and you just have to get through all of it.”
Fortunately, Giordano will be able to spend his time with fellow physician assistant students, along with some other friends who will be living on campus during the summer.
“Luckily, I’ll be living with kids from my major so we can motivate each other. And a lot of my other non-PA friends will be here, too.”
In fact, Giordano will have a rewarding five-day cruise to the Bahamas in late August after his summer classes are over.
The PA and PT programs will not be the only ones with students doing coursework during the summer, however. Many sport and recreation management majors will be embarking on summer internships. Ryan Polson is a junior Sport Management major who will be working with the Keene Swamp Bats, a collegiate summer baseball team in the prestigious New England Collegiate Baseball League, as an operations intern. Although the internship will not be for class credit, it will still be a valuable experience for him.
“I look forward to expanding my knowledge in the sport management field,” said Polson. “My summer internship will help aid my growing knowledge of sport.”
For freshmen, the summer offers them much more social freedom than some juniors and seniors. Lizzie Poitras, a track athlete at SC, will be working at a day spa in her hometown of Somers, Conn. She will also be seeing friends and family, as well as visiting her sister who lives in Arizona.
“I’ll be able to lie at the pool during my free time and also shop,” said Poitras. “I’ll be missing all my friends from school, though. I’ll also miss track practice.”
With students embarking on several different summer routes, it is evident that they will surely enjoy their summers but also miss some parts of Springfield College.
For those returning, the summer will be a nice break from schoolwork and athletics. For those beginning new chapters in their lives, the summer will be the start of yet another adventure.
From the entire staff of the Springfield Student we would like to wish everyone a safe, enjoyable and productive summer!
Matt Vaghi may be reached at mvaghi@springfieldcollege.edu