An April month not so long ago (okay it was 27 years ago), I was trying to decide what college I would attend.  I was blessed with several options. Ultimately, Princeton felt like home. I found the thought of writing a thesis invigorating and was excited that I would be able to engage with professors from a variety of academic backgrounds. The director of the African-American Studies at the time, Cornel West, even took time out of his busy day to have a conversation with me. Even then, when Princeton still included loans as a part of its financial aid package, my offer was the strongest I received, and I knew my family would not have to worry about affording college.  While many things have changed about Princeton (like no loans) since my decision to attend, I chose to return to the University to work in the Office of the Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity to advance Princeton’s broad commitment to expand access and success for first-generation, low-to-moderate income (FLI) students at highly-selective colleges.

When I was a student at Princeton, I participated in a two-week summer program, Freshman Summer Orientation Program (FSOP) directed to students who may have been the first in their family to attend college.  Since returning to campus, I have the opportunity to collaborate with the Programs for Access and Inclusion (PAI). PAI offers several programs connecting FLI students with each other and with resources on campus to thrive.  As I reflect on my own challenges transitioning to college, it is a source of pride knowing that first-year and transfer students are able to benefit from the ongoing community they find through PAI programming. Some students may find community through their participation in the revamped and extended version of my beloved FSOP – Freshman Scholars Institute (FSI) or the four year leadership program, Scholars Institute Fellows Program (SIFP). 

I was drawn back to Princeton because of its commitment to service and providing students opportunities to be engaged in the vital work of demystifying selective college admission. In my role at Princeton, I have the opportunity to partner with a number of amazing programs such as Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA) and Matriculate. As a Matriculate Advising Fellow, Princeton undergraduates provide online mentoring and coaching to high achieving FLI high school students to support their consideration of highly selective colleges and universities.  This partnership aligns with Princeton’s informal motto, "Princeton in the nation’s service and the service of humanity."

During this “temporary abnormal,” as Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber '83 refers to this current state of affairs, try to enjoy exploring your college options. You will meet new people and learn about programs, activities and pathways that you may have never considered before. I encourage students to evaluate how a school fits your academic, extracurricular and other interests. I also encourage you to evaluate graduation rates, out-of-pocket expenses; and outcome data for colleges you are considering. Twenty-seven years ago, I chose Princeton as my home. I hope to see you on campus as a fellow Princetonian.

It’s a tradition for Orange Key tour guides at Princeton to end their campus tours highlighting their “Why Princeton” story: a description of what brought them to choose the University for their undergraduate experience. Everyone's story is different, and as my years on campus progress I get more emotional each time I deliver it. Without further ado, here it is:

What drew me first to Princeton was the beauty of the campus. I didn’t go on a lot of college visits, but when my dad and I saw Princeton we both knew nothing was going to top it. But other, perhaps more pragmatic, elements of campus were just as attractive: I felt safe and loved that the campus residential community would mean I’d never need to venture off or live off campus to see my friends. The libraries scattered evenly among campus meant I’d have a different place to study for each day of the month. Having Nassau Street so close meant I’d have access to a bevy of global cuisines within a stone’s throw of campus.

But more than a physical space, I knew Princeton was a community. I was drawn to the residential college system and the idea that I’d have a smaller, built-in support network the moment I stepped on campus. Additionally, the Princeton experience lasts a lifetime: our reunions are a raucous, orange-and-black celebration of everything Princeton that draws nearly 25,000 alumni annually. (Check out this old New York Times article for a description of some of the antics). Local alumni networks like Princeton in Washington (of which I’ve taken advantage through Princeton Internships in Civic Service) host events for current students and alumni. In my experiences through the alumni networks I've had the opportunity to attend events with senators and world leaders. This means that the Princeton learning experience isn’t ever really over after you graduate.

I knew the students I would go through school with would be exceptional. I was, and still am, truly excited by the idea that I’m going to school with future leaders with whom I will share a crazy, one-of-a-kind four-year experience. I knew the University’s laser focus on undergraduate students, unique among its peer institutions, would exceptionally qualify me to become one of those leaders myself. In that regard, the University has exceeded even my own lofty expectations, funding weeks of in-class travel and summers’ worth of internships to enhance what I’ll take away from my studies.

There are thousands of undergraduate institutions in the United States. It's probably true that I would've been happy at many of them. But, I’m confident that there’s no place I'd be as happy as I am at Princeton.

Dear Great Class of 2024,

This is an open letter from me, a jealous senior, to all the incoming first-years. Congratulations! You’re about to embark on the journey of a lifetime in a beautiful place I’ve been lucky to call home for the past 3.75 years. On behalf of all the bloggers, I’d like to welcome you to Princeton. There will be ups and downs, but you’ll soon learn that this truly is the best damn place of all.

Princeton is full of new opportunities, experiences and memories that you will cherish forever. My advice to you is this: take advantage of every single opportunity, experience and memory that comes your way. This is a once-in-a-lifetime journey, and as I know many of you can relate as high school seniors, it can all change in a matter of seconds. Cherish your time here. It really does fly by, I swear. It feels like just yesterday I was moving into Butler 1967 Hall, meeting my roommates, getting my bearings on campus and looking forward to the four years to come. Instead, a few days ago, I moved out of my cute little Patton Hall dorm room and said goodbye to everyone who made Princeton feel like home.

But enough with the sadness! This should be a happy time for you all. Be open to new experiences! Meet new friends; it may take a while to establish your core group, but you’ll get there! Get to know your professors; they can be great mentors and they’re there for you. Thank your dining hall workers! Explore the campus; Princeton is gorgeous, and it’s yours to take in. Try out every coffee shop in town. Call your parents ⁠— they’re anxious to hear from you! Stay in touch with your high school friends. Cope with stress in healthy ways; watch the sunrise, go to the gym, try out a new restaurant, take a walk. Take your time. Get to know some upperclassmen; I know they can look scary sometimes, but I promise they aren’t!

Last, but certainly not least: believe in yourself and trust in the process. You’re meant to be here! You’re meant to be a part of this amazing community. Good luck, and have fun!

Once again: welcome to Princeton.

Sincerely,

A jealous senior who wishes she could do it all over again.

I signed up to write for The Daily Princetonian as soon as I could my first year. Through this experience, not only have I improved as a writer, but I have also found a community to call my own.

The Daily Princetonian, or The Prince for short, is one of the longest-running college newspapers in the country. It prints daily, as the name suggests. I often see people reading The Prince at breakfast, learning about the latest news as they start their day.

I’ve written a lot of interesting articles since joining the paper. You can pitch any story you want; the opportunities are endless! The second article I wrote covered Ellie Kemper’s '02 keynote speech at the She Roars conference for female alumni in October 2018. I talked to her for several minutes and took a picture with her! I commented on her Instagram post from the event, and she followed me back on Instagram. She even likes and comments on some of my posts! When she came back for Class Day 2019, I emailed her through our alumni network about setting up an interview. I talked to her on the phone for almost a half hour to learn about how her time at Princeton prepared her for her acting career.

Ellie Kemper is not the only famous alumni I’ve talked to because of The Prince. This fall, I interviewed seven members of Congress who all graduated from Princeton, including Senator Ted Cruz '92, Congressman John Sarbanes '84 and Congresswoman Terri Sewell '86. These members of Congress came from all over the country and were members of both political parties, but they all had in common a desire to serve their country. It was an eye-opening experience and taught me about talking to people whose opinions differ from my own.

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While it’s fun to interview politicians and celebrities, I’ve also enjoyed covering student life and campus affairs. I interviewed a student who started Letters to Strangers, an international nonprofit dedicated to combating the stigma of mental health. I wrote about Tiger Treks, student-led trips to New York City and Tel Aviv that explore the burgeoning start-up industries in those cities. I talked to the founder of J-Lats, the first-ever club for students of Jewish and Latinx heritage, about the group’s first Latinx Shabbat

Over the past three semesters, I’ve learned how to develop my own pitches for stories, how to interview sources, how to structure a news article, and much, much more.  I recently became an Associate News Editor, and I'm excited to expand my role in the Prince. While the writing skills are important, so is making new friends that will stay with me long beyond my tenure on the Prince. I always look forward to my time in the newsroom. 

One of the more exciting aspects of life at Princeton is when public figures or experts in fields visit to participate in a conversation on a relevant, interesting topic. Recently, I had the opportunity of seeing two notable public figures come to campus and add to my Princeton memories. The President of Microsoft and Princeton University Trustee, Brad Smith ‘81, came to have a conversation with the host of “The Daily Show”, Trevor Noah. The event focused on Smith’s latest book (co-written with Carol Ann Browne), “Tools and Weapons: The Promise and the Peril of the Digital Age.”

For big events like this, the University tries to make ticket distribution as fair as possible. For these University-wide engagements, the announcement of the speaker and ticket information is sent to the undergraduate community via e-mail (among other reasons, this is why staying organized and on top of your emails is so important!). It is common for ticket distribution to take place in the ticket office at Frist Campus Center. For some of the more popular events, students line up for over an hour before the ticket office opens, ready to buy a ticket for themselves or a friend.

During this recent talk, Smith and Noah described how their shared fascination for technology and passion for ethics in the field allowed them to develop a friendship and business partnership. Noah included a stop at Microsoft when touring for his recent book, “Born a Crime: Stories of a South African Childhood”. There, the two met and subsequently began having conversations around innovation and the future of technology. Noah related his experiences of wonder to stories he told in his book about building computers as a child.

The conversation then shifted in a cool way as the two discussed some of the issues regarding technology in the modern age. Noah talked about the partnership he developed with Microsoft to deliver computers to the Johannesburg communities he was supporting through the Trevor Noah Foundation. What was particularly interesting to me was hearing Smith talk about Microsoft’s project to extend broadband—highspeed internet access—to rural areas across the globe. The two then began talking passionately about the importance of access to technology and education in underresourced communities. They noted that increasing such access addresses representation in the technology field but also helps to address ethical issues encountered by building artificial intelligence in a non-inclusive environment.

Overall, it was amazing to hear about Brad Smith’s experiences as a student on campus and the years since then, while also learning about Trevor Noah’s passion for technology and access for the Johannesburg youth, in addition to laughing at his jokes and quips. This talk exemplified one of the more fun and surprising aspects of Princeton: the ways in which we are able to learn outside the classroom, especially from the experts, themselves!

My work in the Politics department here at Princeton took on a whole new dimension during the summer. From early June to mid-August, I worked in a congressional representative’s office in the House of Representatives. I applied for the internship for perhaps obvious reasons: I was looking to get a first-hand look at the different government institutions I’ve only really read about in textbooks and newspaper articles. And, without a shadow of a doubt, my summer experience delivered!

Before starting, I wasn’t sure what to expect either from my work in the office or my life outside it. Looking back, I don’t know that I could quickly summarize the litany of different experiences and challenges I experienced at work or on my own time as I, at times. struggled to navigate life in the city. Each day I spent interning was wildly different, and invited valuable reflection on how I can best harness the top-rate education I’m getting on campus for good.

At work, I did everything from giving tours of the Capitol to writing memoranda on various bills for the Congressman to read. Some days I spent mostly at my desk, typing away and answering phone calls, while others were spent running around the halls of the House and Senate office buildings delivering notes and messages for and from higher-ranking staffers. From the very first morning of my internship, when I was tasked with combing through a 200-page budget document, staff treated me as an integral part of the office. In-between tasks, I listened to members of Congress speak as part of the Intern Lecture Series and tried my best to explore all the different nooks and crannies of the Capitol building.

Perhaps even more valuable than the actual work experience I gained were the insights I gleaned from my conversations with coworkers and Princeton alumni as part of the Princeton in Washington program (PiW). The staffers in my office had a range of different educational and professional backgrounds, and were generous with their time in speaking to interns about life on the Hill and speaking about broader career advice. The Princeton in Washington program, which connects Princeton alumni, families and current students living in the capitol region, hosted a wide variety of educational events with high-profile alumni. The roster of alumni speakers, including sitting Senators, members of the House, and high-ranking government and private-sector officials, offered a window into a variety of different Washington career paths and ways to succeed.

I’m immensely grateful for the opportunity to undertake such a life-changing experience, and even more so for the global Princeton community which offered me an incredible network of support even as I was working 200 miles away from campus. Who knows yet if I’ll be back next summer, but I love knowing that the Tiger family will follow me wherever I choose to go.

One of the most common questions I get asked is, "What made you choose Princeton?" and the answer isn't as simple for me as it is for some.

Princeton follows a unique calendar system, where winter break is part of fall semester and students take their finals in January. Because of this set up, between the end of finals period and the start of the new semester, Princeton has a week of break formally known as Intercession. Some people take this opportunity to relax at home. Others go on trips with their friends. Regardless, it’s arguably the most carefree week in the academic year. With the burden of fall semester lifted from my shoulders and the work of the upcoming semester still unknown, I found myself with minimal obligations and time that I otherwise would never have.

During the break, I took an opportunity to delve into career exploration through the Princeternship Program. Every semester, Princeton’s Career Services offer students experiential internships with partner organizations from an assortment of fields. Most of these connections were established through the Princeton alumni network. Participants rank their top three choices and go through an interview process that is more geared towards matching students with the appropriate internship than it is about competition.

I participated in a shadowing internship along with two other students at The Cornea Laser and Eye Institute in Teaneck, New Jersey. Because I was coming from Princeton, I woke up at 5 a.m. to embark on the long three-hour commute to Teaneck. I arrived there at around 9 a.m. and the three of us proceeded to change into appropriate attire, putting on a white lab coat, hair net and surgical mask.

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Throughout the day, we were exposed to numerous aspects of the profession and met with people at various stages in their lives. In the morning, we chatted with a medical student who was at the end of his residency. He explained his reasons for going into optometry (which I thought were rather convincing) and offered us advice on the long process that is medical school.

Our host, Dr. Peter Hersh, was a Princeton alumni himself. Before the internship, I read up on his work and researched procedures he performed at the institute. I was a bit star struck to learn that Dr. Hersh was among the group of people who pioneered and published the first research paper on laser correctional procedure.

I was grateful for the opportunity to observe eight separate surgeries and learn more about the techniques that Dr. Hersh had polished. He was very patient and thorough in his explanations. Despite being extremely busy, he took the time to walk us through what he was doing every step of the way and answer any lingering questions after each procedure.

This opportunity not only made me rethink my future career path, it also demonstrated the power of the Princeton alumni network. Near the end of the day, the conversations moved to similarities and differences between his Princeton experience and ours. Experiencing this undeniable connection with Dr. Hersh that bridged over three decades was an incredible feeling.