Meet Our Students
Sara Wright-Avila
Class of 2010
- Hometown: Covina, California
- Hall: Lewis
- Major: Science-Business, with minors in Gender Studies and Peace Studies
What was your first impression of ND when you arrived on campus?
I was impressed with the natural beauty of the campus; everything here is so green, which is much different from Los Angeles! I drove up Notre Dame Ave., parked in Main Circle, and saw the Dome in the early afternoon light – still one of my favorite memories of being here on campus. I immediately felt like I had come home.
What are your favorite things about student life at ND?
My favorite thing about student life at ND is that it can be whatever you make it. If you enjoy fly fishing, swing dancing, or even glass blowing, you can find a group on campus that has similar interests to your own, and with whom you can grow and learn about yourself through what you have in common.
What prompted you to choose your major and minors?
I knew as an incoming freshman that I was interested in becoming a doctor, so I declared Biology as my major. I discovered Peace Studies through an Intro Political Science class, I found Gender Studies through an Intro Peace Studies Course, and I fell in love with business after sitting in on a marketing class with one of my friends!
Extra-curricular involvement:
I was president of the Minority PreMed Society, I’ve been very involved with Hall Council in my dorm since freshman year, and I’m a peer educator (I work in the Gender Relations Center as a “FIRE Starter,” which stands for Finding Identity, Relationships, and Equality).
What do you think makes ND unique from other universities?
I think Notre Dame is unique because you feel like you’re really part of a family, from the moment you step onto campus. As a student, you live, eat, and study with your brothers and sisters, and this dynamic creates a real sense of community that I have yet to experience anywhere else.
What are some of the things you enjoy about living in the residence hall?
I love living in the residence halls! I think one of my absolute favorite things about living in the dorms on campus is that some of the best friends you will make usually live right down the hall from you. Whenever I go to the dining hall and need a buddy to eat with, I just have to call down the hall to see if anyone wants to have dinner with me, which is awesome! Some of the best conversations I’ve had during my time here have been at 3:00 a.m. over fresh baked chocolate chip cookies in the kitchen, with some of my very best friends.
Do you have any words of wisdom to offer an incoming ND student?
Be open to taking new classes, trying new things, and meeting new people, despite whether or not you’re coming in with a preconceived notion of what you want to do with your life. College is all about taking pride in learning who you are, and developing your interests! Take advantage of everything Notre Dame has to offer – you’ll learn things about yourself you never knew before.
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