Christine Kelly
Major : Elementary Education
High School : Central High
Hometown : Philadelphia, PA
Activities : Student Activities Board president,
Student Activities vice president, Mission & Ministry, Theater
Ensemble, Student Ambassador, Jazz Band stage manager, Resident Assistant
Christine Kelly is a confident young woman with a keen awareness of
her potential as a student, citizen, and future teacher. How did she
come to be so together? She credits the people in her life, especially
her family and her teachers, particularly those she has met at Neumann
College.
As a high school student growing up in the city of Philadelphia,
Christine became involved with the Books 'n Hoops program which
focuses urban teens on leadership, self-esteem, academics, character
education, and basketball. The in-residence program was held on
the Neumann College campus and run by Dr. Joseph Gillespie, dean
of education.
Her experience with people here at Neumann and with the program
was overwhelmingly positive. "Everyone I ever came into contact
with at Neumann was friendly, helpful, and considerate."
Add this to the small class size, which was one of Christine's
top criteria for college selection, an excellent reputation for
its education program (her intended major), and the choice was
easy.
Christine's experience at Neumann has been "exciting."
Living away from home and family has been a big change for her.
"I'm really close with my family and it gets hard when you
don't see them for so long." But getting involved in activities
has helped her adjust. It has also reinforced for her how important
making decisions on your own is, and how important it is to be
involved and let your voice be heard." She says she's discovered
"You can make a difference if you put yourself out there
to do it. I've met people here that help me get through it. They
support me, relate to my life, and are there for me when I need
to talk."
The strong sense of community at Neumann is one of the qualities
she likes most about the College. "The teachers and administration
here really want you to succeed. They show you how. Faculty, staff,
administration and students all work together and help each other."
Helping others realize their potential and succeed in life in
fact is the main reason for Christine's choice of elementary education
as a major. "Some of the teachers I had in school were amazing.
They were able to make me feel so important, that I could achieve
anything. I want to be able to make other children feel this way.
I want to give back and help others feel they, too, can do something
with their lives. They can, and I can, make a contribution to
society."
