Joy Houlder '19 has always "gravitated toward people," and her Emmanuel College journey so far reflects that.
As she looked toward her sophomore year, an interest in mediation and community-building inspired her to become a Resident Assistant (RA) in Loretto Hall, her own home away from home during her first year at Emmanuel.
"I really wanted to work with first-year students. Students who are a few years older are more settled and have everything a bit more together than students who are new to college," she said. "I wanted to be a resource for my residents. I love talking with them and that they feel comfortable coming to me with their problems or concerns."
One of their main concerns? How to find their niche in a new environment.
"Residents have come to me a lot with questions about fitting in," she said. "I'm very repetitive; I always tell them, 'Give it time.' It took me a couple of months to figure it out and find my place, but it will happen. Honestly, give it time."
iving on campus and being so close to the countless events and activities that take place every day gave Joy the opportunity to meet many of her peers and to join many different clubs and organizations-some she never expected.
"After hearing about the Ukulele Club, I thought, 'That might be something I'd like to do,'" she said. "It's been really fun; we perform around the city at different group homes and retirement homes and deliver Christmas- and Valentine-grams in the residence halls."
Joy has also served as the Public Relations Officer for the Black Student Union (BSU)—a position for which she learned the ins and outs of connecting virtually, as she keeps her personal life free of social media. When she has time, between her RA duties, her job as a front desk assistant in Loretto Hall and her club engagement, she tries to experience new things, such as learning about cultures different from her own through the Asian Student Association or staying active with the EC Swim Club, Zumba Club and Chapel Choir.
In the classroom, Joy plans to develop her strengths in making connections as a psychology major with a concentration in counseling and health. A talented artist with a minor in studio art, her goal is to become an art therapist, and she hopes to find an internship with one of the Fenway neighborhood's many hospitals or healthcare organizations.
"I came to Emmanuel because I wanted to be surrounded by the city and all of the opportunities that are right outside the gates," she said. "I have a bike that takes me everywhere I need to go. I love being right in Boston, but on a quiet campus. I never feel overwhelmed by the buzz of the city, but I know it's all steps away. It's a really happy medium."
When it came time to search for an internship, Philip decided to go big—and looked to the accounting industry’s Big 4 of Deloitte, EY, PwC and KPMG, each of which has a Boston-based office just a few miles from campus.
Katherine’s foray into biology might seem an unlikely one for a future dentist.
As a future educator, Jonathan understands there is a lesson to be learned in everything.
For career inspiration, Erin looked no further than her family of first responders and their calling to “help people on their worst days.”
During the Fall 2022 semester, MacDonald and her research team of psychology majors Madeline Bradley ’23 and Matthew Lemansky ’23 (pictured) investigated the lived experiences of participants in an 8-week mindfulness training program.
One transformative high school law class changed Alyssa’s college plans from STEM to political science.
Nick grew up in a family of medical professionals—his mother and grandmother are both nurses and his father is a paramedic. “I’ve always been surrounded with medical jargon and stories of health incidents, crises, and the rewarding benefits of providing care,” he said.
Emmanuel College is one of 140 local nonprofits to receive grants of $100,000 to $500,000 each through the Cummings Foundation’s $25 Million Grant Program.
Counseling & health psychology major Christine came to Emmanuel knowing she wanted to pursue a career in health care, and the College’s opportunities and connections for students interested in the field—as well as a neuroscience course she attended at EC Incoming—made the decision an easy one.
When asking secondary education and biology double major Angela Girodier '22 if she’s more passionate about research or teaching, she quickly and emphatically says “both.”
From an early age, Campbell Shealy '22 was interested in two things—living in a big city and numbers.
One way that people’s body dissatisfaction is socially expressed is through engaging in negative conversations with friends regarding how unhappy they are with their bodies.
Emmanuel is a place where students broaden their sense of what’s possible and prepare for inspiring careers in an ever-changing world. Be here.
Questions?
617-735-9715
