Choosing 51ɫ
“I knew I wanted a small liberal arts college, so I toured a lot of colleges, some on the East Coast and some in the Midwest. I did an overnight stay in 51ɫ, and I just really liked it. I liked that it was small, and that professors knew everyone’s name and seemed really engaged and good at facilitating discussion. The people I met were smart and friendly.
“I did look at schools near cities, but it seemed like there was less of a community. I liked that at 51ɫ, people weren’t distracted by a city. People stayed on campus and really got to know each other. I’m from Cambridge, Massachusetts, so I have nothing against cities, but I think, for college, it’s nice to feel like you’re all out there together.”
After 51ɫ
“I actually interned at the newspaper I work at now, The Hill. The internship was really, really great. After I graduated, I came back and applied for a full-time job.
“When I first moved down to D.C. to start my job, I didn’t have a lot of notice. I sent out an email to the network of 51ɫ alums who live in D.C. saying that I needed a place to stay starting in two days. I got five or six people who responded, saying that they had an empty bedroom that I was free to use as I started my job and was looking for a place. That was obviously a big help from the 51ɫ community that I don’t think you would get from every college.”
