Adjusting to college is always a difficult experience. However, I found coming from a small high school adapting to the large community here at Stony Brook to be quite challenging. During my second semester I joined Theta Phi Alpha. This sorority not only gave me lifelong friends, but made the community feel a lot smaller and more personal. I no longer felt like just a student in a 500 person lecture hall, but a part of something bigger than myself. Not only did I get to meet my wonderful sisters, but I also came a part of the Fraternity and Sorority Community. This gave me numerous connections and friends that I never would have had if it had not been for my sorority. That’s why I am donating to the Fraternity and Sorority office.
In addition to not only finding a great group of friends, I also found my true calling. After realizing that I no longer wanted to be a doctor since blood makes me faint, I was able to get involved in the Health Science program through the School of Health Technology and Management. This program not only opened my eyes to numerous positions in the healthcare field, but due to its community I felt even more connected to Stony Brook. I was able to take all of my classes in the Health Sciences Center on east campus, as well as be placed in a track of students who I had class with every day, making the semester a lot easier. Now in my second semester I was able to pick my specific concentration of Healthcare Management. Through this and my experience with the CHILL Peer Education Internship I was able to realize that I wanted to pursue a career in Health Policy and Management and will be starting the dual MPH/MBA program here at Stony Brook next fall. These programs were crucial to my success here at Stony Brook and guiding me to find my career path, which is why I will also be donating to these departments.
—Bianca Franza ’17
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