Each year, a senior is selected to give the student address at Commencement. Nominations are made by faculty and students, and the final decision is made by a student committee featuring six seniors and six juniors.
Christie Dionisos
Hometown: West Chester, Pa.
Double major: Neuroscience and Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies
Activities: Women's Union, Scholars Program Steering Committee, Hip Hop Club, Bhangra Union, Kenney Community Center Junior Science Program, Gamma Phi Beta, Minerva Mentor, Dance.
Favorite class: Minds and Machines. It is a philosophy class required for the neuroscience major, and I have never had a class that made me think this much. I swear I had multiple existential crises a day, trying to wrap my head around what consciousness is, or our understanding of the self, or the replicability of the mind into artificial intelligence. Fascinating topics to think about.
What I'll miss most: The incredible support from faculty and students. I pursued projects and ideas at the intersections that I never thought could come to fruition, but it was through the enthusiasm of my advisers that they became a reality. With my peers, I felt unwavering support advocating for social justice, and I will miss chanting alongside them.
Advice for incoming students: Do not stress yourself out too much. I think I spent more time in college worrying about how much studying I had to do rather than actually studying. When life gets hard, take a moment, and realize this upcoming assignment does not define you. Once you rid yourself of that extra stress, you will conquer your studies AND be able to enjoy the moments outside of class.
Life after Union: I am a 2019-2020 Minerva Fellow going to Johannesburg, South Africa for the next nine months to work at the Witkoppen Health and Welfare Clinic. After that, graduate school with the hopes of combining neuroscience with gender studies.