NYC Gazette

In the fall of 2020, at the height of the pandemic, St. John’s University welcomed a new class of over 2,000 first-year students. Their college experience was marked by unique challenges and circumstances that set them apart from previous cohorts. We recently spoke with several of these students as they reflected on their unique college journey and the insights they gained over the past four years.

Christopher Bhola, a B.S. in Quantitative Risk Management and M.B.A. in Enterprise Risk Management student, found that his experience during the pandemic underscored the value of taking risks. Despite the convenience of remote learning, he chose to attend as many classes in person as possible when restrictions began to ease. "It would have been easy to do everything remotely, but college during COVID taught me that it’s a lot more rewarding and beneficial to take the harder option of stepping outside of your comfort zone," he said.

Michael Marceda ’23CCPS graduated from St. John’s in just three years with a B.A. in Government and Politics despite entering during the pandemic. He is currently attending Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University after taking 18 credits per semester and one summer course.

Sydney Nocera's time at St. John’s was defined by resilience and adaptability amidst adversity brought on by COVID-19 restrictions when she started her B.S.Ed in Adolescent Education in August 2020.

Kadijah Rahim, a B.S. in Biological Sciences graduate, plans to continue her studies at St. John’s by pursuing an M.B.A. in Health Care Systems this fall.

Each student's story illustrates their determination and resilience amidst unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic, offering valuable lessons for future generations navigating their own educational journeys.